Gripping Survival: A Review of Gabriella Batel’s ‘Don’t

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the DON’T by Gabriella Batel Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: DON’T

Author: Gabriella Batel

Pub. Date: October 31, 2022

Publisher: Crown of Thorns and Roses Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 326

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/DONT 

A heart-pounding debut ready for fans of Cory Anderson’s What Beauty There Is and Marieke Nijkamp’s This Is Where It Ends.

“This ambitious debut novel…marks this young author as one to watch.” —Corinna Turner, author of the Carnegie Nominated I Am Margaret series

Don’t play. I saw you.

Paityn’s awake. Her near-terminal lupus keeps her that way. That’s how she crosses Tony Suarez again. That’s how she becomes the only witness to something she wasn’t supposed to see.

The first time, Tony shot Paityn’s stepfather. Now he wants Paityn. He wants to keep her quiet about what she saw. And the best way to keep Paityn quiet is to silence her family.

But Paityn’s not going to let Tony touch her family—not while she’s still alive. And she’s not dead yet.

 

 

Why Should You Read It?

“Don’t” by Gabriella Batel is a gripping and intense thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The novel centers around Paityn, a resilient young woman battling near-terminal lupus, whose life takes a dangerous turn when she becomes the sole witness to a crime committed by Tony Suarez. This chance encounter plunges her into a fight for survival as Tony becomes determined to silence her, putting her and her family at grave risk.

Batel masterfully creates a tense and suspenseful atmosphere, skillfully blending the elements of a medical drama with the high stakes of a crime thriller. Paityn’s character is compelling and deeply sympathetic; her strength and determination in the face of both her illness and the external threat from Tony are truly inspiring. Batel portrays her struggle with lupus with a poignant realism, adding depth and authenticity to her character.

The pacing of the novel is relentless, with each chapter escalating the tension and danger surrounding Paityn and her family. Batel’s writing is crisp and engaging, making it hard to put the book down. The plot twists and turns, keeping readers guessing about what will happen next and how Paityn will outsmart her pursuer.

Tony Suarez, as the antagonist, is chilling and menacing. His relentless pursuit of Paityn and his willingness to go to any lengths to protect his secrets make him a formidable foe. Batel does an excellent job of developing Tony as a character, making his motivations and actions believable and terrifying.

However, there are moments where the plot feels slightly over the top, and some readers might find certain scenarios a bit far-fetched. Additionally, while the fast pace is generally a strength, it occasionally leaves little room for deeper character development outside of the main conflict.

Despite these minor issues, “Don’t” is a thoroughly enjoyable read that delivers on suspense and emotional impact. Gabriella Batel has crafted a story that is both thrilling and heart-wrenching, with a protagonist who embodies resilience and courage. For fans of high-stakes thrillers and stories of personal triumph against overwhelming odds, “Don’t” is a must-read that will leave you rooting for Paityn until the very last page.

 

 

About Gabriella Batel:

Gabriella Batel is a vibrant young Catholic woman with an adrenaline craving and a passion for God, her family, movies, and all things YA fiction. Don’t is her debut novel, and she’s already working on the next thrill ride.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a signed finished copy of DON’T, US Only.

Ends May 31st, midnight EST.

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Top 5 Movies

There’s this thing called prophantasia where some people can physically sense what they imagine. That’s what movies are to books. The same glorious stories, except it pops out of our heads and in front of our eyes, so needless to say, movies are almost as dear to my heart as books are. Here’s a ranking of some of my favorites!

(Quick note: while I adore these stories to no end, a couple of these may have elements or ideas that I don’t love, so just a heads up that I’m not endorsing every theme, scene, or line inside them.)

5. The 355 with Jessica Chastain

I adore every single actress in this movie and the life they bring to the fierce, deep heroines. These ladies span the world’s intelligence agencies and go rogue to get the job done and protect the people they love. Does it get better than that? Not to mention that the fight sequences are exquisite and frequent!

4. World War Z with Brad Pitt

A lot of times zombie movies have at least a twinge of humor or quirky weirdness to them (*cough* Warm Bodies *cough*)—which can be disappointing to those of us who love the undead and apocalypses that feel so real that they might be right around the corner. Not this one. The plot feels unshakeable to me, and not only do I get the best shivers imaginable from the disturbing disease and battle for survival Brad Pitt brings the perfect father figure element to the mix. Heart and horror—I love it.

3. Underworld: Awakening with Kate Beckinsale

There seems to be a pattern here. (Haha!) Here’s another highly intense horror story with the most heart-grabbing parent-child dynamic, except this time we have vampire-assassin Seline (Kate Beckinsale) as a mother, which amps everything up. And I just love the addition of Theo James’ character David. Because, you know…Theo James.

2. Prey with Amber Midthunder

Apparently I’m a horror girlie! Prey upped the ante, though, for a couple reasons. First of all, there’s nothing better than alternate (yet believable) history with a touch of sci-fi. Second, the main character, Naru, is a member of the Comanche tribe, and I am HERE for our heroine being Native American (especially since that’s a bit of my ancestry)! Third, Naru is fierce, and I love following her. how often do we get big-brother dynamics? Not enough! It felt so fresh and inspired and leaned into the history and the horror all at once.

Honorable Mentions:

Ocean’s 8 with Sandra Bullock – A heist, the Met Gala, and girl power (*chef’s kiss).

The Legend of Tarzan with Alexander Skarsgard and Margot Robbie – A fierce, wild new look at Tarzan with the strongest husband and wife. 

Snow White and the Huntsman with Kristen Stewart – A star-striking, dark reimagining with the sweetest romance and a beautiful father-daughter dynamic.

The Passion with Jim Caviezel – Powerful. Heart wrenching and powerful.

The Woman King with Viola Davis – An empowering, inspiring look at history from a viewpoint that should never have been forgotten.

1. A Quiet Place with Emily Blunt and John Krasinski (and Pt. II with Cillian Murphy) 

Now we get to the crown jewel of cinema. Yes, it’s another apocalyptic horror film, but it takes the genre and turns it on its head. It’s ingeniously written; things you’d never expect in this genre take grand center stage; and we are terrified, heart racing, sick to our stomachs, the whole time, jumping at every little sound, not because of blood and guts but because of a silent, unseen threat—and because we care SO MUCH about this family. We feel a part of the love and pain between them. Everything, from the stunning score to the sound editing to the jump scares, immerses us in this family’s situation. It’s frighteningly suspenseful, but it’s beautiful.