Book Review – Sleeping Bear – Connor Sullivan
New author Conner Sullivan’s new thriller “Sleeping Bear” solidifies the cliché saying, “a real page-turner” with no hesitancy. I pulled an ‘all-nighter’ to finish this book. I literally could not stop reading it until I was finish, it was that good, at least to me it was…and especially since this is Sullivan’s first thriller novel. Sleeping Bear follows a former female Army veteran that suddenly disappears without a trace in Alaska’s northern wilderness only to find herself trapped in a Russian prison system designed to ensure that no one ever escapes. We eventually learn that her kidnapping has something to do with her father’s past life, which made for a very intriguing storyline. Impressive story and plot that kept me engaged and curious. The characters were well developed and very true-to-life. I especially liked the main character Cassie Gale. She reminded me of Author Chris Hauty’s character, Haley Chill – smart, tough, and very capable of handling ‘violence of action’ when she has to! Sullivan’s in-depth research obvious and his writing was imaginative and clever. I like fresh and new, and this book was definitely that. I will read Sullivan’s next installment and recommend checking out Sleeping Bear, it’s everything but a ‘sleeper’! Thank you NetGalley, Author Connor Sullivan and Atria Books for the electronic Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

I just reviewed Sleeping Bear by Connor Sullivan. #NetGalley. WOW, WOW, WOW. What a fast action packed book. The story line was superb and certainly fits on the edge of reality. I really loved this book and look to many more from Connor

Well written and full of action. A modern day spy movie in the making. Hard to believe this is Connor Sullivan’s debut novel as it left me excited to read more. Well rounded characters full of emotion and strength. Waiting for what comes next.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

Author Connor Sullivan shows real writing talent in Sleeping Bear.. The early part of the novel is a tale of a woman gone missing in the Alaskan wilderness. The characters were well-drawn and believable. Sadly, for me, once the novel went to Russia I lost interest. The plot struck me as implausible and I could not suspend belief sufficiently to continue.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

A very well-paced example of the kind of thing that it is, something I don't read a lot of. One part missing persons thriller, one part Cold War inspired international espionage tale complete with treacherous people driven by money, a mad scientist, wise indigenous people, honorable self-sacrifice and a fumbling drunk, I don't know if I liked this book so much as became addicted to it and needed to finish. "A page-turner," I believe is the phrase. Apparently Sullivan's first book - I would read the next thing he puts out, and it would be cool if it centered on the Gale family, specifically Cassie.

Atria publishing lands another winner in the thriller genre. If you enjoy a fast past thriller in a the wilds of Alaska much in the page flipper of Thor and Carr, you will love this novel. Highly recommend.

A really good book. I started this after reading all the hype about this and my initial thought was it was moving a little slow. I kept waiting for the action to start. It took a little while but the author was really developing the back story. When the action starts, it is a sprint until the end. I really ended up liking this book alot more than I thought I would. I don't want to ruin any plot points but the story all comes together in the end and I can easily see this being a blockbuster movie at some point. I hope to read more from this author as this book was excellent.
Thank you Netgalley, Connor Sullivan and Atria Books for the ARC for my honest review.

A spy novel with lots of twists and turns is always a good read and this book was no exception. It has flawed and damaged characters who are easy to empathize with and cheer for. I wanted to go to bed two hours ago but I couldn’t put this book down. I was hooked from the beginning, but once I hit the midway point, there was no way I was putting the book down until I was finished!

I read this in one sitting. Not because it was exceptionally original or fresh- but because it was escapist. It is what it says it is and that is what I was looking for maybe a bit too tidy with connections in the end, but I finished the book because it held my attention. I think I may prefer to have a bit messier plots, but this was uncomplicated and satisfying.

Sleeping Bear surprises with its gripping and unpredictable storyline involving highly-relatable and
despicable characters. It’s an excellent debut novel, with huge potential for more stories.
The thriller revolves around the eerie abductions of campers in Alaska, including Cassie Gale, an Army
Veteran and graduate of Ranger School. Her father, sister, and brother-in-law set out to find her.
Cassie’s abduction ties into a cold-war Russian experiment to mold warriors into feeling no remorse at
the prospect of killing and her father’s mysterious past with Vladmir Putin’s mentor. The elements of
espionage, sleuthing and nail-biting tension make this a nerve-wracking experience in a great way!
Sleeping Bear’s characters evoke emotions from sympathy to disgust. Cassie Gale is a badass with
brains, brawn and a tragic backstory. With her father, you sense there’s more than what meets the eye
and Sullivan’s depiction of his agony as he searches for his daughter resonates. Same goes for her sister
and brother-in-law: invoking a strong sense of empathy for the family. The opposite is true for the
antagonists, as readers will dread them for their despicable and hauntingly-violent acts towards
innocents. This creates a compelling juxtaposition, and a desperation for justice to be carried out.
The book is not too heavy on action, but the short and visceral action sequences include authentic
weaponry details and crafty spy tools that feel straight out of the Mission Impossible movies. Sullivan
mainly focuses on the cerebral components of the story, as the Gale family tries to save Cassie.
With a cold-war linked narrative that includes unethical-human experiments, relatable heroes,
despicable villains and great twists, Sleeping Bear is a remarkable debut and an absolute must-read. It’s
absolutely a book worth losing a night’s sleep over. I should know, since I stayed up all night to finish it!