Emancipation by Jo Michaels (5 stars)

About Emancipation

Tobias Butler has been sitting on death row since being sentenced for a gruesome murder in 2007. Bored out of his mind, he decided to apply to the online pen pal program in 2012. It's a pleasant distraction—nothing more, nothing less—for three years, until he's contacted by a beautiful, smart young lawyer named Jess. She's convinced he's innocent and wants to see him freed. As they organize their attack on the judicial system, he wonders how she plans to get his conviction overturned—because he's guilty, and he knows it. Jess is desperate to release him—and he's desperate to feel his hands squeeze the life out of her once she does.

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Review

Tobias Butler has no remorse for the murders he's committed. Nor does he have any trouble sleeping at night. But, he's intrigued by the lawyer who swears she can get him freed and is convinced he's innocent. 

Thus begins a game of cat and mouse, where Tobias plays along to gain the one thing he had given up on... life outside a cell.

There are so many things I love about this book. Some of which I can share, some I can't. It's truly an experience I'd love readers to have without any spoilers. 

What I can say...

Tobias is a well-crafted, disturbing character. No, you'll never think he's innocent, nor will you get a bunch of excuses about his behavior. I found this so refreshing. He's an unapologetic psychopath. But you can't help but get swept up in his story, to wonder if he'll get away with murder yet again.

And Jess... well, let me just say that everyone will see what they want to see until the story unfolds to show you the truth. Intriguing characters are crucial in my opinion to an excellent, 5-star read. Whether you like these characters or not remains to be seen, but you will no doubt be intrigued and perplexed by their actions. And, if you are like me, extremely curious as to where their actions will lead.

Oh, and you will NOT see what's coming. At least not until the author means for you to. And even then, you'll be in denial at first, your mouth agape as you try to process what's happening. 

If you crave an intense thriller with jaw-dropping moments, you'll love Emancipation. It's a wild, dark ride with shockingly brilliant moments. 

Rating: 5 stars

About the Author

Jo Michaels is...

Hi, I'm Jo. Let's forget all the "Jo Michaels is blah, blah, blah" stuff and just go with it. I'm a voracious reader (often reading more than one book at a time), a writer, a book reviewer, a mom, a wife, and one of the EICs at INDIE Books Gone Wild. I have an almost photographic memory and tend to make people cringe at the number of details I can recall about them and/or their book(s). My imagination follows me around like a conjoined twin and causes me to space out pretty often or laugh out loud randomly in completely inappropriate situations.

I have a degree in graphic design, and my journey to the end was one few students who begin that program ever complete. However, this was one case where my memory and OCD tendencies helped me. Graduation was one of the most amazing days of my life. But, my most amazing day was when my now husband proposed. Every little girl dreams of being Cinderella someday, and he pulled off the proposal of fantasies.

At the risk of sounding cliche, I'm going to let it out there and say how much I absolutely adore the man I'm married to. Along with my children, he's my whole world.

I've lived in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Georgia, but I've had my feet in almost every state. Traveling is something I adore, and have plans to someday see the Mongolia I've written about in Yassa.

One of my favorite things is hearing from fans! You can find me on social media most any day of the week. Connect! I'd love to hear from you.

You can find out more about Jo on Twitter, her website, her blog, andFacebook. Also, find out more about her indie author services at Indie Books Gone Wild.

Note: I was privileged to edit this book through Indie Books Gone Wild. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.