Review of Killing the Rougarou

[Diana Lowery]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Killing the Rougarou" by Shawn M Beasley.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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I​n Louisiana folklore, a rougarou is a fictional monster who lurks in the bayous waiting for the opportunity to harm someone. In this story, however, the rougarou is a real person who poses a danger to everyone he comes in contact with. Killing the Rougarou by Shawn M. Beasley is about the obstacles faced in trying to eliminate the elusive beast.

T​he book is divided into three parts. Part One, "The Girl," has 46 short chapters. The protagonist, a girl named James, is introduced. Except for the fact that she has two supportive parents and three loving brothers, she could be Kyra from Where the Crawdads Sing. Even though the writing is in the third person, James is the focus of this part. The effects of the rougarou on the whole community are explained amid examples of the Cajun culture.

Part II, "Cat," introduces a completely different set of characters in a different setting. There are 27 chapters. At first, I was confused and thought this might have been a collection of short stories. It takes quite a while before a connection is made between the two parts. This lack of transition was my least favorite part of reading this novel.

Part III, "The Pair," continues with the story of the character of Cat. There are 45 chapters in this part. It is here that the main action takes place with plenty of conflicts and drama. This is listed as a romantic thriller, and the sex scenes are plentiful. The descriptions are detailed enough that they could be used as a textbook on different ways to have intercourse, but the acts are not erotic or pornographic. There were some situations in this part where the characters' actions were not believable.

T​his is book one in a series centered around James and her siblings. The author has included a short sample of each of the other books in the series. Each one centers around a different character. Normally I am not a series fan, but I became invested in these characters and want to know how their lives turn out. I like that the author was able to arouse my curiosity without making me angry that there were unresolved issues at the end.

My rating is three out of five stars. I​ was disappointed at the lack of editing. The errors were numerous and distracting and created a need to deduct a star. The other deduction was for the lack of connection between the first two parts and for the unrealistic scenarios in the third part. Romantic thriller fans, who are not bothered by explicit sexual encounters, will enjoy this book. It offers both romance and thrills. It also offers an opportunity to learn about another culture. Because it is part of a series, it should provide hours of entertainment.

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Killing the Rougarou
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[R_becca]

I'd pass on reading this book because it sounds confusing. thank you for your candid review

[Mercy Sos Christopher]

Wow...sounds like a thriller book to me. Will try to read it soon. thanks for the review.

[Omneya Shakeep]

I find your review is exactly how I felt while reading this book. Thanks for your review.

[Kendal Low]

While I can very much appreciate books that intertwine the stories of different characters to make a whole new story, the fact that you mentioned the transitions weren't great makes me think I may not enjoy this book. I think I will give it a miss. Thanks for the great review.

[Kavita Shah]

Never heard of a Rougarou and I am quite curious how things end up. I like how you've explained all three parts and I think I will read it. Thank you Diana for the detailed and clear review!

[Diana Lowery]

Never heard of a Rougarou and I am quite curious how things end up. I like how you've explained all three parts and I think I will read it. Thank you Diana for the detailed and clear review!

I had never heard of a rougarou either. Thanks for the comment.

[Diana Lowery]

Wow...sounds like a thriller book to me. Will try to read it soon. thanks for the review.

Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.