This was my least favorite book I've ready by Kara Thomas. I felt like it lacked the elements that really draw me into her young adult thrillers.I didn't find any of the characters likable and it was losing me in the middle of the book. There were a lot of plot points I wasn't satisfied with.

This one surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. I loved the mystery and how Sam was trying to piece everything together. It was a book that kept me guessing and made me want to keep reading so I could figure out what happened! I need to read more by Kara Thomas. She has a good voice that came through in her storytelling.

I liked Samantha’s character and thought the story had a lot of potential. But what was difficult about this story was the switching between characters mid paragraph and not realizing it.

There is a lot to like about this story but because of having to go back and reread some things to figure out who was “talking” made it only a 3 star for me.

Twists ignite a cold case in Out of the Ashes. Samantha's return to her shadowed hometown unearths a web of secrets. It was full of suspense and atmospheric, with a satisfying character development. Such an enjoyable read!

You never know what to expect with a Kara Thomas book. Sam's history is dreadful. No one particularly cared to what they considered a bunch of drug dealers or "trash". The town was fine with letting sleeping dogs lie. Now after all this time, Sam's back and things come up that start the questions and rumors. Maybe things aren't what they seem. Well, it's a Kara Thomas book of course they aren't what they seem. The book is an excellent look into small town biases. I don't know what else to say without giving it away.

4 stars!

I've never read anything from this author, but I definitely had a good time with this. I got really invested in the second half of this book and I was just turning my kindle pages over and over because I needed to know what happened. Where it lost me, however, was the ending. It kinda left me like ????

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The premise of this book was very intriguing. The first 30% flew by. It slowed around that point and just became convoluted with lots of characters and drug dealers and just a lot of pretty basic concepts. I don’t know that it ever picked back up for me. I also was disappointed in a few plot holes and the resolution wasn’t anything shocking.

Nah, I think Kara Thomas should stick to YA. This is one of the shortest thrillers I've ever read and it shows. What works in YA thrillers, at least for me, does not work in adult thrillers. I will stick to her YA for now.

3.5 stars!!!

I've always felt the same about every Kara Thomas book I've read and this one is about the same. I was really invested in the backstory of the main character and the mystery but all the answers just fell into the main character's lap. She knew exactly what to search and who to talk to to get the answers she was looking for. But despite that, I had a good time reading this and it was well written. I never really guessed any of the plot twists and most of the red herrings got me. This was fun and it was nice to read something from this author that leaned more adult than YA.

Kara Thomas, a favorite YA thriller author, crosses over into the adult thriller world with Out of the Ashes. Though the characters still read a bit young, this book has plenty of tension and plot twists to keep you engaged. Absolutely full of unreliable characters, I was hooked within the first few chapters. Out of the Ashes is a short read, perfect for a vacation!

I enjoyed Kara Thomas's previous book, and I enjoyed this one as well. The cover really grabbed my attention. I loved the plot ansld appreciated the pacing.

Author Kara Thomas’s debut in the world of adult fiction with OUT OF THE ASHES, a disquieting suspense thriller, is successful. While fans sing her praises as a young adult author, this is my first time reading the work of this obviously talented writer, and I am duly impressed.

OUT OF THE ASHES is a gritty suspense thriller relayed through the point of view of nurse Samantha Newsom who reluctantly returns to her hometown of Carney, New York, to clean out and sell property left her by her deceased uncle. Sam fled the area twenty years prior, but never got over the devastating loss of her family, including her parents, baby sister and uncle, in a brutal unsolved crime that concluded with the burning of her family home. Sam can't shake her gut feeling that a local, arrogant police officer who had run-ins with her family got away with the murder of her family and others. Corruption, contempt and depraved behavior is rampart in the secluded, small-town where few escape the free-flowing drugs and alcohol, controlled through fear tactics by one unethical family who remain untouchable. When an investigator knocks on Sam’s door with news of an informant willing to come forward in exchange for a plea deal, it's all the incentive she needs to rip the Band-Aid off old wounds and begin investigating the cold case on her own. Ignoring repeated warnings to leave well enough alone, Sam's inquiries lead to the surfacing of dark, long buried secrets that threaten the comfortable livelihoods of locals with criminal connections. A murder and the disappearance of two women serve to fuel Sam's determination to strip the small town and its occupants bare in search of the truth. In Sam's eyes, it's clear that corruption among the police department and locals led to her family's murders in an epic coverup, but will she survive the truth of what rises out of the ashes?

Author Kara Thomas has penned a crafty, raw, enthralling thriller featuring deeply flawed characters, none more than the protagonist struggling to accept and let go of past sorrows and torments haunting her sleeping hours while driving her every waking move. A steadily rising pace escalates with each new secret and threat uncovered in this sordid, twisted tale, and readers can expect to be sucked into Sam's plight quickly as repeated revelations threaten her sanity. The large cast of players keeps readers on their toes as they work the case alongside Sam in search of a killer. The author's choice to tell the story exclusively from Samantha's point of view allows readers to slip into her shoes and experience her confusion, pain and frustration as she struggles to understand each new revelation. The author's ability to expertly manipulate characters and readers keeps everyone guessing until the final big shocker that many won't see coming.

OUT OF THE ASHES is a tension laden, heart wrenching domestic thriller that firmly establishes Author Kara Thomas in the adult thriller genre. This tale of corruption, murder and redemption is mesmerizing and hard to put down. Highly recommended to fans of suspense thrillers and murder mysteries.

// 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 - 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 //

Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Genre: Thriller
Pace: Slow-Medium

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑰𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆:
🤫 Secrets
🔎 Cold Cases
🏘️ Small Towns
🚔 Shady Law Enforcement
🥸 Unreliable Characters

𝑸𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆
• Quick to set its hooks in you - I was eager to learn the truth behind the murder of Sam’s family as well a some of the other mysteries that popped up along the way. It made turning the pages quick and easy. It’s a slow burn but it stayed invested.

• Dialogue heavy -I feel neutral about but others may have their opinions on books written this way.

• There were so many red herrings and I found myself constantly guessing who was involved. I had somewhat accurate suspicions, but the motive was unclear and I wasn’t 100% sure until it was revealed.

• I didn’t fully trust Sam, but at the same time I didn’t trust most of those around her either! There are lots of shady and unreliable characters in this book. If you like unreliable characters this has plenty of them!

• I despise a corrupt cop. Just really sets my ears on fire. So I just was seething about Rhode behavior and possible involvement. Such a shady character along with so many others.

• The ending was surprisingly emotional and may have made eyes water a tad! I didn’t expect that out of a thriller, but I always appreciate one that pulls in the heart strings from time to time.

⚠️: loss of family, house fire, drug abuse, kidnapping, murder

I loved this book and bought myself a copy. Kara Thomas is masterful at morally gray characters, red herrings, and twists to spin your head for days after finishing.

In August 2021, when Samantha Newsom was just a teenager, her uncle Scott endured a brutal encounter with a police officer. The following month brought unimaginable tragedy as Sam's entire family was ruthlessly murdered, including her uncle, father, mother, and her baby sister, Lyndsay. Now, more than two decades later, Sam makes a poignant return to her hometown of Carney.

During her visit, an investigator shares a startling revelation - a prison informant has come forward with fresh information regarding the fateful night of the murders, hinting at the possibility that Lyndsay might still be alive. This gripping narrative presents an engrossing tale, centered on a complex and tormented protagonist, Sam, who is driven by an insatiable need to uncover the truth about her haunting past.

Haunted by an overwhelming sense of survivor's guilt, Sam is burdened with a multitude of well-guarded secrets. The author masterfully entwines a labyrinthine plot that keeps readers in suspense, particularly as Sam embarks on a turbulent journey, crisscrossing different locales in her relentless pursuit of the elusive truth.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story was very well written and staged. I liked the continuous turns and dead ends. I would absolutely recommend it.

This one was a really interesting read. It wasn't one I normally would have gravitated towards but I am glad I picked it up. I really liked the main character and her determination to unravel the mystery around her sister and what happened to her family. It was a great mystery, well written with a lot of depth.

I really enjoyed this. It wasn't what I was expecting going in but I wasn't disappointed in where it went. It has a podcast cold case feel to it. I was surprised by the twist at the end.

I thought Kara did a great job with this adult thriller debut. It felt fresh and new compared to her YA thrillers. I kept forgetting that she has written for younger audiences because this one felt like she'd always been writing for adults.

I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Kara Thomas is such a queen and always finds a way to shock me by the end of her books. I was glad to see that this still held true for her first adult novel. I thought it was properly paced - I never got bored and that the ending was well worth it. As always, I look forward to reading more of Kara's work in the future.

⭐⭐⭐.5

Out of the Ashes by Kara Thomas is a heart-wrenching novel of suspense that follows Samantha Newsom’s investigation into her family’s murders. When Samantha was thirteen years old, her family was killed and their Catskills farmhouse was burned down in an unsolved crime. Twenty-two years later, she returns to her hometown of Carney, New York, haunted by the tragedy. The case had gone cold, but investigator Travis Meacham brings news that a prison inmate claims that Samantha’s presumed-dead baby sister survived that fateful night.

As Samantha delves deeper into the investigation, she uncovers shocking truths that challenge everything she thought she knew about her family and the crime. However, Carney is a town that fiercely guards its secrets, and Samantha may find herself in grave danger as she tries to escape its grip.

Overall, I found the book to be engaging with a well-paced plot. The writing was solid, and the cover art perfectly captured the essence of the story. However, I did have a few reservations. With numerous characters to keep track of, it became challenging to stay connected to them all. Additionally, I struggled to warm up to Samantha as a protagonist, and I felt that the character development throughout the book was lacking. Furthermore, the ending left me unsatisfied.

Nevertheless, considering that this is Kara Thomas’s first venture into adult fiction, I enjoyed it enough to consider reading more of her work in the future.

**ARC Via NetGalley**