Member Reviews
I am starting off my saying I hadn't realized this was a sequel to White Out, so I had no background info about any character(s) or events. I enjoyed the story, it was really well written, there are plenty of twists and the multiple POV chapters between Hannah, Kylie and Lily. This was a pretty good book.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
TW: Rape, violence
I loved White Out and was excited for the sequel Far Gone !
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this arc !
It did not disappoint and I was engulfed from page one as it started off with a bang ... or two !
Told from multiple points of view the flow did not once leave me confused and I completely wrapped up in each character!
The twist and turns revolving around Lily’s life are the kind that leave you breathless!!
Do I even dare for a sequel ?!
OMG! Could not put this down!
A couple are shot dead in what could be seen as a murder-suicide, apart from the 911 call and the baby that survived unscathed.
Detective Kylie Milliard takes the case - few clues are found at the scene, apart from a drop of blood that ties the scene to a crime over 10 years before, and also proving that someone witnessed the murder.
A nurse at the local hospital, Lily is having a busy night in ED when the shot woman is brought in, and she is then given a tiny baby by a girl in the car lot. Who was the girl?
The DNA results of the blood found at the scene stirs nightmares for Lily as she starts to remember what her mind has been blocking out for years. What really happened when she was kidnapped?
The young girl, Hannah, escapes from the house and tries to find somewhere to call her dad - but someone is after her, and will they get to her before Kylie and the police?
Tense, haunting, secrets and answers. What do they all add up to?
When a North Dakota couple is killed in their home, the sleepy town of Hagen wakes with a jolt. It’s usually so peaceful but Detective Kylie Milliard knows better.
Despite not handling a homicide investigation in some time, Kylie is on the case. A drop of blood found at scene looks to be the best evidence. It only helps to proves someone else witnessed the murder and not only that -DNA reveals a familial match to a crime involving Nurse Lily Baker. This awakens Lily’s nightmares of her past. Hunting for the killer, Kylie and Lily uncover impossible truths, lies and secrets that put both their lives in jeopardy.
Whew!!! This had a ton of moving parts but I loved how it all came together. It was so interesting how Danielle weaves all the pieces together and did it so it was shocking, hard to predict and made sense. This book was fast paced, gritty and literally FULL of twists. I loved every fun minute of it. The characters were developed well for a thriller. You love the ones you should, and hate the ones that deserve it. All in all this is one hell of an entertaining ride.
I was so excited to be able to read and review this book. I love a good crime series and this one continues the story so well. While I do think that both this one and the first book could easily be read as stand alones, together they really do the story and the characters justice. I was completely enthralled from start to finish and loved all the twist and turns along the way. I can't wait to read more books in this series and see where the story takes us.
I loved this second installment of the series. Hannah and Lily are strong characters, each with her own story. The book kept me guessing and changing my mind as to who the murderer was.
It was fast paced and riveting.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received a gifted copy of FAR GONE from the author Danielle Girard through Netgalley.
FAR GONE is book two in the author’s Badlands Thrillers series. It begins with a young girl named Hannah showing up for a babysitting job only to witness the brutal shooting of the parents who hired her, unseen by the killer. Detective Kylie Milliard gets the 911 call, but Hannah is no longer on scene. While on shift as a nurse at the hospital where Hannah’s dad works, Lily finds herself wrapped into the aftermath of the shooting.
I enjoyed Danielle Girard’s WHITE OUT last year so I was excited to read the second installment in the series. I have to say that I loved this one even more! This book jumps right into the action with Hannah watching a double murder occurring right in front of her, fearing for her own life. The reader is kept in suspense right along with her wondering if and how she’ll escape this situation. This book does not shy away from the gore and the gun violence, so do keep this in mind.
Hannah was an interesting character and one prone to making some bad choices, starting with showing up to baby sit high. Still, she’s a 14-year old kid dealing with family issues at home and thrust into an impossible decision. Between the drugs in her system and the trauma she’s experienced, she makes some bad decisions trying to run away and hide, but she kept me hooked needing her to make it to safety.
We are getting the perspectives of Kylie and Lily who both return from book one in addition to Hannah. Knowing the details of book one and their background certainly helped, but this book would work as a stand alone as well.
This one kept up a quick pace and had some twists I didn’t predict. FAR GONE is out on 6/15/2021 and I would recommend it to the thriller fans!
I am so happy Danielle Girard came out with another addition to the Badlands Thriller series! It was so much fun being in Lily's and Kylie's world again. I believe the second installment of this series was actually even better than the first. This was so action-packed and full of mystery, I did not have it figured out until I read it and I could barely put it down! You can read this as a stand-alone, but you get so much more background information if you read White Out first. Great job, Danielle! You did it once again! Thank you!
Badlands Thriller #2
From the USA Today bestselling author of White Out comes a story of two heroines with shattered pasts and a town with blood on its hands.
This thriller is the second in the Badlands series. In North Dakota, where Detective Kylie Milliard in their peaceful little town. Only she knows it’s not what it looks like.
Kylie hasn’t worked homicide in a long time, but when a couple is shot in their own home, with a baby sleeping yards away, she’s back in business.
She has two bodies, but no baby. Just a smear of blood on the basket where the baby should be. So either the killer took the baby, or someone else was in the house.
The DNA on the blood smear is shocking. It’s not a killer's blood. It’s not the baby’s blood. But it is a familial march to a crime that involved a local nurse at the hospital, Lily. Ten years ago she was held captive for over a year. Raped and traumatized. Part of her brain has blocked a lot of that time for her own sanity. But things are about to get dangerous for the detective and the nurse.
As for the poor girl on the run from a killer who knows she was there, Hannah, is one of the bravest characters I’ve seen. And Lily. That poor woman had the backbone of steel.
Everyone in this story had secrets. Some harmless and embarrassing, and some downright murderous. Everyone wants to know the truth, but there are some people determined to not let that happen.
This author is always on her game. I’m pretty sure I bit a fingernail off reading this one. Which I count as a really good tale!
NetGalley/ June 15th, 2021 by Thomas & Mercer
This is book 2 and although it can be read on its own I would recommend reading White Out first so you understand Kylie, Lily and Iver better. I love Kylie and Lily but I would like to know more about Kylie. She’s still a bit of a mystery. This book is told from the POVs of Kylie, Lily and Hannah which I really enjoyed. I just wanted to give Hannah a massive hug and you could feel her fear through the pages. I guessed part of it but I definitely didn’t see a lot of it coming. The reveal was incredible and such a tense moment.
I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This is an easy read from start to finish, a page turner. It is. the second book in a series the characters were already familiar so immediately the reader is drawn into their lives once more. However it isn’t necessary to read the first book to be able to follow this one.I finished it the same day because I didn’t want to put it down .
This is the second book in the Badlands series, I did not read the first but think this one is fine to read alone.
Hannah has arrived to baby sit but instead witnesses the murder of the infants parents. Detective Millard has to solve the murder but also find Hannah before the killer does.
There are clues and if the reader pays attention, they may figure it out before the characters do. I would warn the reader to be careful of the conclusions you jump to,
The author was clever in have DNA at the crime scene link to another crime and this allows her to bring in another character named Lily. This adds more mystery and more challenges to overcome.
I enjoyed the pace of the story and had no difficulty keeping the current murder and the past connected events in order.
I would be interested in reading the first installment and certainly look forward to any further installments as they are released.
I thank NetGalley for the early release of this book in exchange for an honest review and my thoughts on the novel.
After the first installment, White Out, I was excited to get a sneak peek at the upcoming sequel! Back are Detective Kylie Milliard, Lily, Iver and others. This time it starts with Hannah Visser arriving to babysit the Garza's new baby so they can enjoy a night out but before they can leave they are murdered in their home while Hannah witnesses the gruesome event from her hiding place in the closet. Something is very familiar about the murder but she can't quite remember what it is but as soon as he leaves she grabs the baby and hightails it out of there afraid the killer will come back for the baby, or her.
What ensues is a simultaneous search for Hannah and the murder and something is very amiss. Lily starts having flashbacks to her time when she was held in captivity and is about to learn/remember some life altering news that brings her right into the middle of it all.
This was a very fast-paced and entertaining read. I suppose you could read this without reading the first book in the series previously, but it sure would be helpful. It was great to see how far the characters had come since the ending of the last one. My only detraction was the final scene when everything is revealed there was one thing happening in the background (no spoilers) that seemed over the top but it was all so good that I was willing to look past it. I am really enjoying this series and I'm already looking forward to the next one.
A huge thank you to #NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to review #FarGone in exchange for this honest review.
This is just the kind of thriller that I love! It was fast paced, easy to read and I finished it in almost one sitting! While it is the second in the series, you definitely do not need to read the first one to understand the story.
Note - I received this digital arc for free as a courtesy of Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer publishers in return for an honest feedback.
Rating - 5/5
The beautiful abstract cover and the story description was what that attracted me towards picking this book up for reading and then a review. But before I review, I would like to express my gratitude to the author Danielle Girard, Thomas & Mercer publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to get my hands on this book. The storyline was simply fabulous and I just loved it.
The story is set in a small town called Hagen, in North Dakota with a high pace opening scene as a 14 year old Hannah Visser hiding in a closet ; accidentally being a witness to the murder of a couple - The Garzas at whose home she had gone to babysit their daughter Tiffany. The rest of the story follows how detective Kyllie Milliard solves this double homicide and find Hannah before the killer gets to her, how Hannah
escapes to safety from the killer after being a homicide witness and how a nurse Lily confronts her traumatic past - the entire story is told from the POV of these 3 protagonists; a complete race against time scenario.
The characterization was definitely bang on and the narrative was at a smooth pace - neither too dragging or too fast. The 3 POV were reasonably easy to separate and recollect though at times, a back reference was needed. The first half was at a moderate pace while the second half was totally action packed with multiple revelations. By the time I completed around 25% of the story, I had my dibs on who was the killer, halfway through the assumptions only got stronger though there were minor twists and turns ( that I totally appreciated ) which got me a little doubtful about my apprehension but close to the end , it was crystal clear who the killer / mastermind was. The author handled all the 3 subplots in a very clean way and merged it seamlessly into a single story. Again kudos to the author for the amazing accuracy with which the medical details, terms and description was portrayed with in the story - the accuracy so good that it almost looked as if the author herself had a medical background.
Now on to the technicalities - the book can be read as a standalone but it looks advisable if the first book White Out (Badlands Thriller series #1) is read first. #FarGone basically deals with a new mystery while unraveling shocking new details from it’s prequel #WhiteOut I wasn't aware initially but I will definitely pick up the the first book to read soon. The story does include rape as a part of the content with a bit of sexual content mentioned though nothing extremely graphic. Profane language usage is borderline to moderate. The language is quite simple though there are quite a lot of medical terminologies and concepts that may seem hard to grasp for young readers, which is why this book is perfect for all readers aged 17+. The arc I received did have a few over - usage of commas ; even where semi - colon was required and an occasional spell errors were noted but all of it was completely negligible.
Overall a great read !!
The book releases on June 15, 2021. @netgalley, @amazonpublishing, @daniellegirardbooks
4 Stars – An engaging an thrilling read!
Far Gone is set in Hagen, a small town in North Dakota. It opens with Hannah, a 14 year old with a drug problem, going to babysit. Unfortunately, she ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. She witnesses the murder of the couple she is babysitting for while she is hiding in the closet. Hannah, scared and high, runs from the scene. The book follows three storylines throughout: the investigation of the murdered couple, Hannah’s escape and backstory, and that of Lily, a nurse who has survived a traumatic past.
The book created well thought out characters and relationships. There were several strong female characters. The three stories within the book were easy to separate, leading to no confusion while reading. Although there were gaps and a few places where the book dropped a topic too quickly, this book captivated my attention and kept me reading. The last half of the book was action packed.
I flew through the last few chapters, itching to know if I was correct in my assumption of who committed the murders and why. I switched my mind several times during the read and I always appreciate when the author gives several plausible scenarios. The three stories intersected creatively. I was pleasantly surprised with the way the author handled the ending and the wrap up of the three stories. I will be reading more from this author. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me to opportunity to read the book in exchange for an honest review.
I just realized that this is a sequel to another book White Out, so I will come n=back to this book once i have completed the first one.
When I picked up Far Gone, I didn't realize it was a sequel, so I went back and read White Out first. While it's possible you could get through Far Gone without the first book, I wouldn't recommend it. Also: Far Gone is much better than White Out. I don't want to compare the two too much, but I was nervous about reading Far Gone, and I'm glad it exceeded my expectations.
The plot of Far Gone is well paced, starting off strong and weaving the past in with the present in a way that felt right. It clipped along fairly quickly in a solid mix of character building and action. Characters' motivations were clear, and even "stupid" decisions were completely understandable.
The final scene in the cabin between Lily and the Vissers was excellent. It was very tense, and while I didn't think Lily would make a different choice, I would absolutely not have blamed her if she had. (Trying to keep this spoiler-free because it really is an excellent scene.)
My biggest criticism is that Kylie still feels fairly opaque, which is weird considering she's been a POV character for two books.
I'll definitely think about checking any sequel books out, on the strength of this one.
Hannah is hired to babysit for the Garza’s newborn baby girl. After Garza’s arrive home they are confronted by an unknown man and while Hannah is hiding in a closet she witnesses the murder of the Garza’s.
She eventually escapes the house and takes the baby with her. She has a feeling she knows the killer but can’t remember how. She is scared and on the run. Hannah is only a teenager and doesn’t know where to go or who to trust.
Detective Kylie is called in to investigate the murders and to try and locate Hannah. In the last The Detective also involved in a case where she located a some missing girls that were being held captive. One of those girls is Lily, who is a nurse at the local hospital. Lily was working the night Mrs. Garza was brought into the hospital.
The race is on to find Hannah before the killers get to her and for the Detective to solve the murder of the Garza’s.
Firstly, thanks to the author for the advanced copy of the book. This was a fast pace and easy read for me. The book jumps back and forth telling the POV of Hannah, Kylie, & Lily which I absolutely loved. They all are having very different experiences but their lives are more intertwined then they know. The story was certainly suspenseful at times and although who the killer is figured out fairly quickly this didn’t impact my enjoyment. There is a couple good twists near the end that were surprising and perfect. I would recommend giving this book a read if your into thrillers. TW: rape
#FarGone intertwines a current mystery while unraveling shocking new details from it’s prequel #WhiteOut. I did not know this was a sequel so you can definitely read this as a stand-alone. It is told in the perspectives of three strong women - fourteen year old Hannah who witnesses a murder, detective Kylie, and local nurse Lily. I enjoyed reading from all their different views and have now purchased White Out so I can dive even deeper into these characters and their backgrounds!
ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖: 𝕁𝕦𝕟𝕖 𝟙𝟝, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟙- @netgalley, @amazonpublishing, @daniellegirardbooks -
Thank you for the #ARC!