Fierce Kingdom

Riley Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips

Tagline:  When an ordinary day at the zoo turns into a nightmare, Joan finds herself trapped with her beloved 4 year old son. 

My thoughts: When I read the description for Fierce Kingdom I was really looking forward to reading it because it sounded like it was going to be an intense read.  Don't get me wrong, it was, but the pacing felt inconsistent.  It seemed to drag in the beginning but thankfully picked back up midway through and kept me hooked until the end.  

Something I really enjoyed about this book was that it was told in actual time, with a time stamp at the beginning of each chapter, that small touch made the story feel that much more real to me.  I couldn't believe all that action could be packed into just a few short hours, but to the people living the nightmare it must have felt like an eternity.  At times I found Joan a little frustrating,  but to be fair I can't say how well I'd be able to hold it together in a terrifying situation such as the one she and her son found themselves in. 

I always romanticize about being able to finish a book in one sitting, but I never have enough patience for it.  I'm fairly confident I could have finished Fierce Kingdom in one day, had I not started it so late at night.  Sleep got the best of me, but as soon as I woke the book was back in my hands I didn't set it down again until I finished.  This is a book that really draws you in, grabs a hold of you and refuses to let go.  I'm sure I'll be thinking about this book for days to come.  

Rating: 3.5/5