City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong

SYNOPSIS

Casey Duncan once killed a man and got away with it. But that's not why she's on the run. Her best friend's ex has found Diana again, despite all Casey has done to protect her. And Diana has decided the only way she'll ever be safe is if she finds the mythical town she's heard of where people like her can go to hide.

​Turns out the town really exists, and will take Diana, but only if Casey, a talented young police detective, comes too. 

Imagine a hidden town, isolated in the Yukon wilderness, where everyone is pretending to be someone they're not. Even good people can get up to some very bad stuff. The laconic town sheriff dispenses his own frontier justice, but he's more accustomed to sobering up drunks in the horse trough, than attempting to solve the series of brutal murders that has rocked the town. As much as he hates it, he needs Casey.

​As for Casey, coming to the far North may have started out as a sacrifice she was willing to make for her best friend. But maybe, just maybe, she needs Rockton as much as the town needs her. 

Synopsis: Chapters.Indigo.ca

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PERSONAL REVIEW

I've enjoyed reading Kelley Armstrong books since I first picked up Bitten, the first book in the Women of the Otherworld series, and I've continued to read her most of her books. I even had the chance to meet her a few weeks ago and get a bunch of my book signed. Besides her incredible niceness, I honestly just always enjoy her novels. She does such a great job creating these fictional worlds that completely draw me in. 

So here's why I liked this book:​

Flawed and Interesting Characters:
Armstrong always does a great job of creating very dynamic and unique characters; there are no bubble-headed female protagonists for her! In City of the Lost, we are introduced to Casey Duncan, an incredibly strong, curious, and smart police detective who agrees to help her friend escape a toxic relationship by going with her to a town hidden in the Yukon. I immediately loved Casey and her attitude towards life! We are also introduce to Eric Dalton, the gruff, rough, and secretly intelligent Sheriff of Rockton. Eric is such an interesting counter-part to Casey and I love seeing their relationship develop from annoyance to caring for each other. I won't give away spoilers, but they were really fun to read. 

Smooth Storytelling:
As always, Armstrong delivers a wonderfully written book. When an author creates such a unique world, it's important for the story to feel organic and smooth and that's exactly what this book has. I love the way Armstrong introduces characters, problems, intrigue, and romance seamlessly throughout this book (and most of her books). It made everything that happens in the book seem that much more possible. 

Unique Storyline: 
The idea of a town living completely off the grid seems both unrealistic and terrifying at the same time. I get nervous just thinking about living too far away from the city, let alone in an isolated town with no technology in the MIDDLE OF THE YUKON! And as unrealistic as it first sounds, Armstrong completely sells me on this town existing, especially as she explains how they are funded, where the resources come from, and the general political structure of the community. Regardless, I really liked how she created this off-the-map location so that she could pay around with the rules of the law and what happens in the book. Armstrong thrives in creating contemporary worlds that are slightly paranormal or have a flexible understanding of what is "normal" and this is no different. I can't wait to find out what happens in Rockton next!
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Overall, I really liked this book and am really excited to see what happens next in Rockton. There's so much material for Armstrong to play with -- it's literally a town of people on the run -- so it will be great to dive into her next book and see what's happening in this off-the-grid town.

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FINAL RATING: 4/5