Review of Little Sparrow by Emerald O'Brien

Rowan Bell doesn’t believe people can change. 

Not her self-serving mother, who had an affair while on a family vacation at their camper trailer on Sparrow Lake. Despite their distant relationship, she now offers Rowan the opportunity to own it—on one disconcerting condition. 

Not her best friend’s twin, Leon, whose years-long estrangement while in prison ended the day he called Lucy, desperate to reunite on their birthday weekend. He somehow wormed his way into their road trip, and Rowan is just waiting to pick up the pieces when his uncontrollable temper breaks Lucy’s heart again. 

Not even Rowan's stubborn, non-committal nature, ever since her father nicknamed her after her flighty ways and the lake she’s about to return to. 

Upon their arrival, Rowan isn’t surprised to find that places don’t seem to change, either. 

Old, familiar faces greet her, and soon, they’re reminiscing about their childhood on Sparrow Lake on a late-night walk. But when cars speed by, disappearing up the road, a horrific accident occurs—an accident involving Lucy’s twin. While the man in the other vehicle is rushed to the hospital, Leon walks away without a scratch, claiming the driver lost control while tailgating him. An anxious tension lingers until the following morning, but with limited time to reconnect, Lucy suggests they leave early for their next pitstop—a concert. Along the way, old tensions are reignited between Rowan and Leon, and new bonds are forged; all while an uneasy feeling of being watched lingers. 

When their suspicions of being followed are confirmed, threats are made, and lines are crossed. 

It seems the stalkers will stop at nothing until they get what they want. With Leon insistent on keeping police involvement to a minimum after his traumatic past—and Rowan and Lucy in the dark—his initial story about the crash begins to fray at the edges. Rowan searches for proof of Leon’s guilt, but he isn’t the only one hiding something. Everyone has secrets. Forced to stay in place at Sparrow Lake as an investigation into the dire situation ensues, they become easy targets for those with a mysterious and violent vendetta against them. 

And when a shocking revelation calls everything Rowan thought she knew into question, she fears Lucy will realize too late the truth that Rowan has always known—second chances are dangerous—and this one could prove deadly. 

From the author of The Waking Place and Bleed comes a tense, twisted, and jaw-dropping psychological thriller about the history we hide away that haunts us, second chances, and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love.

MY REVIEW:

ROWAN HAS NOT BEEN TO SPARROW LAKE IN 20 YEARS NOT SINCE HER MOTHER'S AFFAIR. NOW HER MOTHER IS OFFERING HER A CHANCE AT OWNERSHIP OF THE TRAILER PROVIDED SHE DOES NOT SELL THE TRAILER FOR A DECADE. ROWAN AND LUCY HER BEST FRIEND PLAN A BIRTHDAY WEEKEND GETAWAY FOR ROWAN AND LUCY TO STAY AT THE TRAILER AND GO TO A CONCERT. THIS IS TO HELP ROWAN MAKE UP HER MIND ABOUT WHETHER SHE WISHES TO KEEP THE TRAILER OR NOT. LEON, LUCY'S TWIN BROTHER DECIDES TO TAG ALONG ON THEIR ROAD TRIP. ROWAN THINKS LEON WILL BREAK LUCY'S HEART AGAIN AND IS TROUBLE BUT DESPITE THAT AGREES THAT HE CAN COME ALONG. 

EMERALD O'BRIEN IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS AND I HAVE READ ALL OF HER BOOKS. SO WHEN I WAS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ AND REVIEW A NEW BOOK, I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE KNOWING THAT I WOULD NOT BE DISAPPOINTED AND LITTLE SPARROW DOES NOT DISAPPOINT.

I REALLY LOVED LITTLE SPARROW. I THINK THIS IS EMERALD O'BRIEN BEST BOOK SO FAR. THE CHARACTERS ARE VERY COMPLEX AND UNIQUE AND YOU COULDN'T TELL WHAT THEIR TRUE INTENTIONS WERE. I REALLY LOVED ROWAN WHO IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HER FRIEND, LUCY BUT ALSO HAS DEMONS OF HER OWN SHE NEEDS TO FACE. LITTLE SPARROW SKILLFULLY WEAVES TOGETHER THEMES OF FAMILY, LOYALTY, AND DECEPTION AS WELL AS GROWTH AND FOREGIVENESS. I LOVE THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP SHE HAS WITH LUCY, WHO IS SWEET AND SUPPORTIVE AND LEON, HER BROTHER, WHO IS THE BAD BOY OF THE STORY.  LITTLE SPARROW IS A SLOW BURN THRILLER THAT LEAVES THE READER ON THEIR EDGE OF THEIR SEAT, THERE ARE ALOT TWISTS AND TURNS THROUGHOUT THE STORY THAT WILL LEAVE THE READER GUESSING UNTIL THE VERY END. THIS IS A MUST READ FOR READERS OF SUSPENSE THRILLERS. 5 STARS

 

Emerald O'Brien Emerald O'Brien is a Canadian author, born and raised just east of Toronto, Ontario. She graduated from her Television Broadcasting and Communications Media program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2014, Emerald decided to pursue her life-long passion for writing unpredictable stories packed with suspense. When she is not reading or writing, Emerald can be found with family and friends. Watching movies with her two beagles is one of her favourite ways to spend an evening at home.