In the third book in the Solitary Tales, Chris Buckley is on a mission. Not a mission to protect people he cares about. Not a mission to discover who took some of those people or how to expose and stop them. No, Chris's new mission is to ignore, to enjoy life and be free. Model-gorgeous new girl Lily shows up just in time to aid this mission. Chris doesn't get why she's into him, but he's no longer asking questions like "why."

[b:Solitary|7140387|Solitary (Solitary Tales, #1)|Travis Thrasher|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348596847s/7140387.jpg|7404309] is the cliff's edge. [b:Gravestone|8835902|Gravestone (Solitary Tales, #2)|Travis Thrasher|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328763012s/8835902.jpg|19028339] is the shove over into freefall. TEMPTATION is the plummet, but Chris doesn't get to plummet the way he wants to, arms outstretched to embrace an unhindered descent. Inconvenient tree branches keep smacking him on the way down, breaking his fall--branches like answers to questions he stopped asking. People (one particular person) refusing to give up on him though he shuts them out. A crisis with his mom that he can't ignore. And revelations that shatter his apathy and rekindle the anger and prod him at last to start asking questions about truth itself.

In fact, this entire book is a flood of revelations and answers. The reader is rewarded with scene after scene of, oh, that's who he is! and oh, that's what happened! and I was right, I knew it! Plenty of questions remain going into Book Four (as it should be), but I'm now fully trusting this author. I'll know everything I need to by the end. And I anticipate agreeing with Travis Thrasher's story decisions. I have so far.

At one point in TEMPTATION, I nearly didn't. Without spoiling anything, I can only say I thought the author was recycling a Shocking Plot Element from Book One--oh, no way, this does not work twice, I can't believe he expects me to accept this TWICE!--but Chris's reflections on the two events showed me that both were necessary. The contrasting aspect is what matters, not the comparison. (And the vagueness of that sentence sounds almost ridiculous. Sorry. If you've read the books, I think you'll know what I'm referring to.)

Chris is not admirable throughout much of this book. Many of his decisions are selfish and/or dangerous. He sometimes treats people badly, and he sometimes knows he's doing it. Constantly admirable characters annoy me, so I'm okay with this. But the real reason the book works (and could be used for an advanced fiction Character Motivation class) is this: his actions are plausible given who he is and what's gone before. He is a traumatized teenager with no adult direction in his life. He tried making a difference before, and look how that turned out. He tried trusting people before, and look how that turned out. He's witnessed things that shouldn't be physically possible, and he has no way to predict or explain them. Add to all this a persistent assault from spiritual forces of evil, and I can believe Chris would make every ignoble or ill-advised choice he makes.

That said, the change germinating in him at the close of this book is a relief. As a reader, I am ready and eager for Chris to take steps down the right road.

For the first time with this series, I did the smart thing: I ordered and received HURT before finishing this one. What I expect from the final book: final answers. Wrap-up of dangling plot threads (a few of which go all the way back to book 1). Complete exposure of the evil (defeat of it would be even more satisfying, but we'll see). Return of a few characters. Salvation for Chris (on all levels). Hope and light.

Unreasonable expectations, you say? Only if you haven't read these books. ( )

Please take note that there are some minor spoilers in this review.

Another awesome book I got from Netgalley. Another awesome book from this extremely talented author.

I absolutely love this series, because not a single string of action, not a single word is out of its appropriate place. And also because everything in it is so unbelievably complicated. So complicated in fact, that you get the feeling that the tight knot of events and mysteries and unanswered questions would never ever get untied. And it's so complicated because people - real people - are complicated. Only a true writing master can portray fictional characters as if they were real, tangible, and Thrasher does a marvelous job of it.

During the entire novel I felt like I knew Chris as if he was in my own circle of friends. I felt like he was a boy from the neighborhood, whose life I was privy to. It was an incredible experience, walking alongside him, seeing through his eyes, feeling through his heart, and figuring things out through the cogs and wheels in his brain.

Absolutely fantastic!

Well, I can't say that all his decisions were great, but hey - we're talking about a 17 year old boy here. A teenager who's been through so much, and the miracle here was that he's still standing, and he's still willing to fight. Yeah, he got pretty beat up by the reality of who was pulling the strings, but I can't really blame him. Fighting hadn't really won him any freedom. Or answers.

Now the temptation to give in is stronger than ever and it almost felt like Chris was ready to just let go and stop fighting.

The twists and turns were incredibly strong. I had no idea what was going on half the time, and I got blown by a heap of surprises. It was an amazing experience... not knowing what would happen in the next scene and just anticipating some sort of an outcome.

I was on an emotional roller-coaster from the very first chapter till the very last one. The tides kept on coming and going, leaving me speechless. It was like a storm had been unleashed, ready to strike over and over again over my exposed heart. And I loved it!!

Sure, there were times when I just wanted to kick Chris unconscious. Like when the only thought in his mind was sleeping with Lily. Or when he kind of abandoned his mom. Or especially when he left his mom in Solitary, while knowing that the bad guys would be pissed at him. Seriously, I was pulling my hair out as I read that he took Kelsey with him, but left his mom!!!! Urghh!!! Silly boy!!! But that's all a part of getting to know the characters, getting to love them, and just feeling that somehow they're real. Not just a flat image on a page of text.

Anyway, the answers we got in this book were so vital, so dark and sounded so realistic, that I was creeped out the entire time. And I can gladly say that Thrasher is a master in making the readers forget themselves into the story.

Also, I can't not wonder the following: How on earth is Chris going to pull off that task of denying Jesus, when all he wants is to hold on to Him with both hands??? That would be something interesting to see, that's for sure!

Which is to say that I just can't wait for the next installment to come out, so the mystery would finally be revealed, and HOPEFULLY the bad guys would get their rightful punishment. ( )

this is just an amazing series. I loved it can't wait to read the others. ( )

TEMPTATION by Travis Thrasher is the third in the “Solitary Tales” series,but can be read as a stand alone. See,”Solitary”,and “Gravestone”.”Temptation” explores teens who like to fit in,popularity,they never listen to the warning signs of the things to come and how they struggle to just cope with life. I like the character Lily,she was the most popular girl in town. A compelling story for young adults. Received for an honest review from Wynn-Wynn Media,LLC and the publisher. Details can be found at David C. Cook,the author’s website,and My Book Addiction and More.

RATING: 4

HEAT RATING: NONE(Young Adult/Fiction/Religious/Christian Mysteries)

REVIEWED BY: DorothyA, My Book Addiction and More ( )

The Surprises and Twists Continue

Chris Buckley and his mother moved to Solitary, North Carolina after his parents separated over the issue of his father’s faith. After months of pressure, Chris just shuts down. Forces to attend summer school, he believes that he is stuck when Lilly walks through the door. Then when she notices him, his angst turns to joy and he forces all the scary things out of his mind and focuses solely on Lilly. After his mother tries to commit suicide while on a drinking binge, Chris believes that he is on his own with total freedom. Behind the scenes, though, manipulation increases forcing him to open his eyes.

In this third installment to Thrasher’s Solitary Tales, the mood lifts a little as Chris finds a new girl, but the level of evil increases. The surprises continue keeping the reader locked into the series. Still a good bet for anyone looking at the horror, suspense genre with the added benefit of a Christian slant and no blatant profanity or sex scenes.

Received from Netgalley. ( )