Thanks to the author for this review copy!

One thing about Kelly Stone Gamble is that she is adept at creating character backstory. In CALL ME CASS we see all of our favorites from her previous two books but with more depth. This is accomplished by having each chapter told from a different point of view – something that I usually dislike – but it works here. We are privy to each character’s deepest thoughts and fears and learn who dislikes who (and why). These inner thoughts are both poignant and hilarious at the same time.

In this 3rd book of the series, Cass is ready to give birth while a massive tornado is bearing down on Deacon, Kansas. She is also struggling with one of her visions – her best friend Maryanne is supposed to die. Each character experiences the huge storm in their own way, and no one is unaffected. Deacon is destroyed and we stay with Cass & Co. while everyone picks up the collective pieces.

Gamble’s real talent lies in her ability to create friendships and deep connections in her storytelling. It feels like there are true bonds between Fat Tina, Angus, Clay, and the rest of the Deaconites. Kindness shines through on nearly every page no matter which character is telling the story at the moment. The characters are quirky and fun, and they all show compassion when the situation warrants.

The storm creates serious suspense while also serving as a cleansing for the town, since a few of the characters experience revelations about their life, their relationships, and their dreams. This proves to create a satisfying ending despite the fact that some of the characters did not survive the storm. I felt truly sad for these characters and wish things turned out differently. This shows how strongly the author is able to create lasting emotions in her readers through her writing. Anyone who can make the reader feel for a fictional character is a winner in my opinion. ( )

A very enjoyable read. I didn't know it was the 3rd in a series, but have added the first 2 to my reading list for the near future. I enjoyed the story, the writing style and that it was told from the point of view of various characters. Became more difficult to put down as it progressed. ( )

Book source ~ ARC. My review is voluntary and honest.

Cass Adams has come a long way since she buried her husband in the yard. She’s got a man who loves her. Okay, so he was her brother-in-law, but now he’s her baby daddy. And she has a dog who she named Dog. But one thing she isn’t happy about are the visions that came with her pregnancy. She keeps seeing her best friend Maryanne dying. Well, shit. It was bad enough seeing and chatting with the occasional dead person, but now she’s having visions of future conversationalists? Ugh. And then the unthinkable happens. A super tornado hits her home town and nothing will ever be the same again.

I cannot tell you how much I love Cass Adams and her whole weird life in the small town of Deacon, Kansas. If you haven't read book 1, They Call Me Crazy and book 2, Call Me Daddy, you don’t need to. You can enjoy this book without having read a single word of what came before. But why the fuck would you want to do that?! Books 1 & 2 are awesome! Small town shenanigans, several POVs, and a touch of the paranormal added gives this a full-bodied read like you wouldn’t believe. Kinda like Fat Tina and her gentleman’s club. And I’m going to tell you a secret. I never really liked Maryanne so I wasn’t too upset about Cass’s visions about her. There. I said it. If you haven’t read this series then stop, drop, and roll. Oops. No. I mean, stop what you are doing and grab them up. I guarantee you will fall into Cass’s world and not want to come home. ( )

A free book from Library Thing in exchange for an honest review. Thank You.
I did not know this was part of a series, but it stands alone.
A quick read about a quirky town located in Kansas near the Oklahoma boarder. Since I lived in Oklahoma I thought I might find it a fun read.
Well written, fast paced and a fun read. Cass has her share of problems as do most of the town, but she has a gift that is all her own. ( )

DISCLOSURE: An electronic copy of this book was provided for review by the publisher, Red Adept Publishing, via Library Thing.

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Every reviewer has preferences. Some enjoy hot romances, some prefer twisty suspense tales, and some relish a good biography. Likewise, every reviewer has genres they’d prefer not to spend much time in. For this reviewer, it’s series. There are a lot of reasons, but primarily it’s the firm belief that a story needs a beginning, a middle, and an end – preferably all between one set of covers.

‘Call Me Cass’ isn’t a bad book – it just isn’t a complete one. The cover lists it as “A Cass Adams Novel”, and the third in the series. Without having read the earlier entries, one can only assume that if all three were offered as a single work, there would be a complex story, peopled by interesting characters who grow and learn and meet challenges. In this volume, they meet perhaps the biggest challenge of all, and yet the reader who has just come into the Cass Adams universe spends a great deal of time trying to figure out who these people are, how they work together, and why Cass Adams killed (or didn’t kill) her first husband, and if she did, why is she still wandering around loose?

The backstory buzzes around the head of every character like a cloud of mosquitoes, slowing the action, distracting the reader, and generally being annoying. Why did Cass kill her husband? (Or did she; the chief of police seems to think not.) And why is she hanging out with the woman who had a child with said late husband – a child who was later adopted by the husband’s brother (who, incidentally, is the father of the child Cass is now about to deliver as the novel opens). Once bitten by these pesky questions, the reader is apt to spend more time trying to figuratively scratch the itch than to concentrate on the action in this offering, which centers around a monster tornado that rips through their small Kansas town with deadly consequences.

How these characters respond to this emergency, and how they deal with its aftermath, form the core of the book. And they’re generally well-written and engaging people, but the reader never loses the feeling of having come late to a party. As a capstone to a series, this may do a good job, but as a stand-alone novel, it misses the mark. ( )