Book Review – Foster: A Love Story by Danielle McCrory
First published, 2022
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The story follows Skyler Seabrooke, an animal rescue worker who fosters various of the abandoned and injured animals she encounters during the course of her working day. Living alone in her childhood home, Skyler has the space, the time, and dedication to keep the animals safe and loved while they grow, gather their strength and wait for their forever homes. Of course, it breaks her heart when the pets have to leave her care, but their happiness and security is more important to her than anything else and, like any decent hero, Skyler has a troubled past and a decidedly murky future.
Because when Skyler brings home Athena, a sickly kitten the rescue centre vet doesn’t think has much hope of survival, she is determined to keep her alive─even if she has to keep her a secret. As Athena continues to grow, it becomes clear that she is not what she first appeared to be, and quickly, the line between right and wrong becomes decidedly blurry.
‘Skyler went back to the flashlight and panned it around the underside of the house. Where the hell did the gray one go? The smell of dank soil was getting overwhelming, and her knees were beginning to feel damp. Her arms prickled with gooseflesh in the cool air, and she wanted to get back out into the sunshine. But not without the gray one. “You can hide all you want, little guy, but I’m not leaving here without you,” she called into the darkness.
‘Skyler pivoted on her hands and knees, turning her body in a circle. She had almost made it back to her starting position when the flashlight picked up on something huddled in the corner─a small ball of gray fur. She crawled toward it, slow and steady, keeping her flashlight pointed straight ahead. She was five feet away when the gray ball turned to look at her, its eyes lighting up in the warm glow of the flashlight.
‘The gray kitten attempted to dart away, back into the darkness and away from Skyler. She lunged at it, landing face down in the mud with her arms outstretched. She turned her head to the side and took in a breath of air. Grains of bitter soil fell into her mouth and she spit them out, trying not to gag. She struggled to her knees and elbows, keeping her hands together. Little needles poked at her fingers, one managing to make it through the leather of her glove and then sinking into her thumb.’
4%, Chapter One, Foster: A Love Story by Danielle McCrory
Frankly, there were lots of scenes I wanted to quote, but I couldn’t without giving away some pivotal plot points. Fact is, I loved this story. The writing was powerful, with shades of Stephen King, and the voice was strong and fresh. Part horror book, part love story, it all slotted together perfectly for me. The characters were well-constructed. I really liked that the protagonist was not without flaws; that made her much more believable and, actually, likeable, for me. The baddies were very dangerous; proceed with caution, it is a horror and they deserve to be there. An awesome read.
Petrina Binney - Author 