tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71938917761676617642024-02-07T16:49:39.240+13:00Random acts of reviewingSome people read only one kind of book, others will try anything that comes their way. Books for adults, children, teenagers, fiction, non-fiction, picture books - random acts of reading result in random acts of reviewing, and you will find the results here.
We encourage you to add comments to the reviews to enhance the reading and reviewing experience for others.RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.comBlogger909125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-63076625259860548982023-04-11T09:32:00.001+12:002023-04-11T09:32:54.637+12:00Exit by Belinda Bauer<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Felix Pink is part of a group where the members are known as Exiteers - although his fellow group members know him as John. The role of an Exiteer is simple, they enter the home of a person who wishes to die and sit with them while they breath nitrous oxide - a comforting presence for the person ending their life with dignity. There are strict rules in place for 'John' and his fellow Exiteers, they can only observe and provide comfort, they can't provide the nitrous oxide or provide any assistance. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is not a role for everyone, so it is not surprising that members of the group come and go, but when Felix takes Amanda out for her first time things don't go as planned - somehow the wrong man dies and everything Felix has come to depend on seems to fall apart. Breaking all the rules of the Exiteers Felix goes back to the scene of the crime, drawn back to the disaster to try and understand what went wrong. But trying to understand what happens places Felix on a collision course with the police investigation into what they initially think is an illegal assisted suicide. Life is never that neat and tidy though, neither is death, and there are more players in this game of life and death than anyone knows.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Exit</i> is a fascinating and well written crime novel that will keep you guessing about what really happened all the way to the end. Bauer has created a series of complex, interwoven lives that come together to create a very realistic and multilayered story. The characters are likeable and engaging, and feel well rounded and whole - like they could actually exist off the page which is what makes the whole story so addictive. The subject matter would be taboo for some, but it is treated well and makes the characters more sympathetic and brings the plight of the elderly and terminally ill into the limelight. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not a light and fluffy read, but there are some moments of real humour and light relief from everyday life. This is a book that was written to be read, and will appeal to a wide range of crime readers. I have already ordered <i>Snap</i> by the same author to see if this is a one-hit wonder or just a great read from a talented author.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The puppet show </i>by M.W. Craven</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Every last fear</i> by Alex Finlay</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Katherine Firkin</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/when-darkness-calls-by-mark-griffin.html" target="_blank">When darkness calls</a></i> by Mark Griffin</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Ali Land</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/07/when-you-are-mine-by-michael-robotham.html" target="_blank">When you are mine</a></i> by Michael Robotham</li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/04/a-flicker-in-dark-by-stacy-willingham.html" target="_blank">A flicker in the dark</a></i> by Stacy Willingham</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-30624957411864989542023-04-09T19:30:00.052+12:002023-04-11T10:13:48.635+12:00The ugly truth by L.C. North<span style="font-family: arial;">On the surface Melanie Lange has it all - her father Sir Peter Lange is a wealthy man running the chain of best friend hotels that bear their family name, she was signed as a model when she was a teenager and had a successful modeling career, she married an amazing man and had two perfect children - she had it all. Or did she? Melanie Lange has disappeared which to some comes across as a publicity stunt, while others wonder where she is and why she has broken off all contact. Her father says that she is taking a break from social media and from the craziness that is her life, but her best friend and her now ex-husband are concerned about her disappearing act and lack of contact.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">With an increase of concern, and lack of concern, on social media two hashtags rise in popularity - #SaveMelanie and #HelpPeter. With the level of interest the social media posts raise it is no surprise that Netflix jumps onboard the curiosity train and commissions a documentary on her life and disappearance. The documentary raises the ghosts of the past for her friends and family, and it is no surprise when startling revelations are brought to light about the 'perfect' life that Melanie used to live. It also shouldn't be a surprise that Sir Peter feels the need the protect himself and tell the truth - but why won't he talk to the media or to the team behind the Netflix documentary? Will the truth about Melanie ever come out?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The ugly truth</i> is the most unique and addictive read of 2023 so far. The author has taken a leap and written the entire book in the form of interview notes, documentary transcripts, social media posts and other written formats - this is not a 'story' in the traditional sense but it really works. By using this format the reader is taken on a unique journey that covers the past and the present in a way that would be clunky and disrupted in the traditional format - but works seamlessly in this format. This is a book that picks apart a life that is picked apart by keyboard warriors and supporters on social media. Melanie may seen like she has it all, but she has also lived her adult life under the microscope of the paparazzi and social media - something that has a major impact on her whole family. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I don't usually like to read books that are 'too clever' because they tend to feel like the author is just trying to show how smart they are, but in this case <i>The ugly truth</i> was so clever that you didn't even notice how clever it was until it reached the climax. This is the must-read book of 2023 for anyone who wants to read a book that could almost be a work of nonfiction rather than fiction - the characters are 100% believable (flaws and all) and you never know quite where it is going until the very end. One thing we know for sure, the portrayal of social media and it's impact is all too real in <i>The ugly truth </i>and while this is a novel you should start hearing warning bells about the dangers of social media and keyboard warriors and trolls.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u>If you like this book then try:</u></span><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Truly darkly deeply</i> by Victoria Selman</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Katherine Firkin</span></li></span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i>A killer's mind</i> by Mike Omer</span></li></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/01/look-what-you-made-me-do-by-elaine.html" target="_blank">Look what you made me</a></i> do by Elaine Murphy</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/07/when-you-are-mine-by-michael-robotham.html" target="_blank">When you are mine</a></i> by Michael Robotham</li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Every last fear</i> by Alex Finlay</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/04/a-flicker-in-dark-by-stacy-willingham.html" target="_blank">A flicker in the dark</a></i> by Stacy Willingham</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-42990699919612702412023-04-08T10:14:00.005+12:002023-04-11T10:28:50.939+12:00How to kill men and get away with it by Katy Brent<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Kitty Collins is a social media darling who lives her extra life online - she has a small circle of real friends and thousands (millions) of people who experience her life vicariously through her posts #KittyCollins - what's not to envy right? Reality and online are two different things, and while her life looks extra with plenty of exotic holidays and fancy clubs and restaurants the 'real' Kitty would prefer a quieter world, one where she doesn't have her very own stalker who wants to make her squirm. Having a stalker may come with being a celebrity, but the timing couldn't be worse because Kitty has just discovered she has a talent (and taste) for killing men.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It starts with an accident, but soon escalates as Kitty realises that murdering men who do her, and other women, wrong is actually quite an amazing feeling. When the second kill is just as easy as the first, it makes sense that the third will be just as easy, and maybe even a fourth and a fifth. It's a heady experience, even if she has to keep a careful eye out for her stalker - not to mention her social media followers or circle of friends. When the stakes are raised Kitty will have to make the decision about how far she will go to protect herself and keep on killing - or if she can go cold turkey and stop killing again.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite the rather grim title, <i>How to kill men and get away with it</i> is actually a rather humourous murderous romp with a rather unlikely (anti)heroine. It seems so implausible that someone who is living their live in the spotlight could get away with murder, let alone more than one, but that is exactly what happens. I have to confess it is also rather challenging not to cheer as Kitty takes action and deals with life's dramas in a rather direct fashion. The one thing I disliked about <i>How to kill men and get away with it</i> is how hard it is to review well without giving away the little twists and tidbits that make it such a great read! Highly recommended, and highly recommend that you read it in one session.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i>Truly darkly deeply</i> by Victoria Selman</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The puppet show </i>by M.W. Craven</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Katherine Firkin</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i>A killer's mind</i> by Mike Omer</span></li></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/01/look-what-you-made-me-do-by-elaine.html" target="_blank">Look what you made me</a></i> do by Elaine Murphy</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Ali Land</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Every last fear</i> by Alex Finlay</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/04/a-flicker-in-dark-by-stacy-willingham.html" target="_blank">A flicker in the dark</a></i> by Stacy Willingham</span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><em>The surgeon</em> by Tess Gerritsen</span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/05/one-step-too-far-by-tina-seskis.html" target="_blank">One step too far</a></em> by Tina Seskis</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/basement-novel-by-stephen-leather.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The basement</span></a></em><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by Stephen Leather</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2012/11/vodka-doesnt-freeze-by-leah-giarratano.html" target="_blank">Vodka doesn't freeze</a></span></em><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by Leah Giarratano</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2011/05/darkly-dreaming-dexter-by-jeff-lindsay.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Darkly dreaming Dexter</span></a></em><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by Jeff Lindsay</span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><i>Kill switch</i> by Neal Baer & Jonathan Greene</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/the-edge-of-normal-by-carla-norton.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><em>The edge of normal</em></span></a><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by Carla Norton</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-31197383211739726632023-01-09T10:28:00.002+13:002023-01-11T15:17:53.627+13:00The Cleaner by Mark Dawson<p><span style="font-family: arial;">John Milton is a Cleaner - the person Group Fifteen sends in to deal with problems. He's not the only Cleaner, but after years of loyal service he has climbed the ranks to become Number One. It's a position of responsibility and one he has never taken lightly, but during his latest mission his conscience twinged and he failed to follow the exact letter of his orders. When Control calls him in after the mission he tries to explain his position, to tender his resignation - but you don't get to just 'resign' from the Group. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On suspension while Control reviews his file Milton is alone in the city, adrift and not really focusing on the world around him - until he finds himself saving a life and becoming tangled in the life of a family at breaking point. After years of military and Cleaning work Milton is </span><span style="font-family: arial;">uniquely placed to go undercover in an urban jungle that is more hostile than some war zones</span><span style="font-family: arial;">. In a place ruled by gangs and warring factions, Milton has to work extra hard to save a young man on the brink of crossing the line from wannabe to real gangster, and once that happens his life will change forever. It's not an easy task for Milton, especially with another Cleaner on his tail - but there is more than just his life at stake.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The Cleaner</i> is the explosive and addictive start to the John Milton series. Fast paced and action packed it is one of those rare books that almost seems to read itself - especially as you get closer to the explosive ending. Too often series like this push the envelope a little too far, being just a little too unbelievable, but Mark Dawson has managed to create a world that feels very real. The characters develop naturally throughout the story, you don't just get a character dump, people and their stories are revealed as you go. <i> The Cleaner </i>is one of those stories that is completely readable and would be easy to translate to the big (or little) screen. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Highly recommended, and on the bright side, as this is an older title now you can binge read the series.</span></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-runner-by-stephen-leather.html" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank"><i>The runner</i> </a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">by Stephen Leather</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span><i>Orphan X</i> by Gregg Hurwitz</span></span></span></span></li><span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2015/03/breaking-creed-by-alex-kava.html" target="_blank"><i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Breaking Creed</span></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></a><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">by Alex Kava</span></span></span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span><i style="font-family: &quot; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/12/spare-me-truth-by-cj-carver.html" target="_blank">Spare me the truth</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by C.J. Carver</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">The killing kind </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">by Chris Holm</span></span></span></span></span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-7655541333683148622023-01-08T10:28:00.071+13:002023-01-09T11:32:23.340+13:00A killer's mind by Mike Omer<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Zoe Bentley is working as a profiler for the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit - she's not an FBI agent, but she is a forensic psychologist which brings the skills they need. Her personality and qualifications make her a solid addition to the team, she puts in the long hours to unravel clues in cases that help develop suspect profiles. Her self-care skills are not quite as good as she tends to get obsessed with cases and forget to do simple things. Things like shop for food and shampoo and she has a tendency to hand in her weekly reports late which means her boss Unit Chief Mancuso is always chasing her for her paperwork. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Zoe is assigned to the Highway Serial Killings Initiative it feels like a perfect match to her skill set - even if it means wading through details about a suspect group of 217 truckers. Zoe is happy to do the work and is more than a little annoyed when she is called to Chicago to support the newest member of their team, Special Agent Tatum Gray. Gray was sent to Chicago to provide support to the Chicago PD who have a strange series of murders in their city. He was supposed to just consult, but once he learns more about the case he calls in Zoe to provide more information and a better profile. When another victim is discovered, there is no denying they are dealing with a serial killer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite encouragement to play nicely with the other children, Zoe focuses on the case and the facts rather than worrying about diplomacy or jurisdiction. As she digs deeper into the case she feels old memories stirring, memories from her childhood and a series of murders that happened in her home town. Zoe thinks the cases could be connected, but is worried about how her 'obsession' will be received by the Police and Agent Gray. There is a twisted killer preying on the women of Chicago and Zoe may be the only one who can stop him before he strikes again.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>A killer's mind</i> is the first book in a series and introduces us to forensic psychologist Zoe Bentley and her 'partner' Special Agent Tatum Gray. The case that forms the base for the start of their working partnership is more than a little twisted, with the right amount of gruesome horror without gory details for the sake of gory details. We learn a lot about both Zoe and Gray as the story unfolds, details that make them real and sidestep most of the cliches that everyone seems us these days. This is a well written and engrossing story that feels more genuine than a lot of crime/psychological thrillers and doesn't rely on the same old same old to get the story across. Best read in a single session if you can manage it - and look for the next book in the series - <i>In the darkness</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The puppet show </i>by M.W. Craven</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Every last fear</i> by Alex Finlay</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="font-style: italic;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Katherine Firkin</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/when-darkness-calls-by-mark-griffin.html" target="_blank">When darkness calls</a></i> by Mark Griffin</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Ali Land</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Look what you made me do </i>by Elaine Murphy</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/the-edge-of-normal-by-carla-norton.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The edge of normal</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Carla Norton</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>The coast to coast murders </i>by James Patterson and J.D.Barker</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/07/when-you-are-mine-by-michael-robotham.html" target="_blank">When you are mine</a></i> by Michael Robotham</li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/04/a-flicker-in-dark-by-stacy-willingham.html" target="_blank">A flicker in the dark</a></i> by Stacy Willingham</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-47377237819921046042023-01-07T14:53:00.000+13:002023-01-11T14:54:13.968+13:00Perfect remains by Helen Fields<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Luc Callanach has left his life in France as an Interpol officer behind, the start a new life as a Detective Inspector in Scotland. It should be a relatively straight forward move, he is after all half Scottish (and has the last name to prove it) - but after leaving Scotland at the age of four France is all he knows. The reception he receives is predictable, the French outsider promoted over local Scottish officers is never going to make friends on his first day - but the level of hostility only rises when he takes officers to investigate a body outside their jurisdiction on the flimsy excuse that it could be a local missing woman. The body in the bothy is burned to nothing, but scant forensic clues at the scene show that the victim is in fact missing woman Elaine Buxton. The team is left with the sad task of informing the family of their loss and moving on with the investigation into her murder. The only problem is - Elaine Buxton isn't dead.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Elaine is the perfect captive - no one is looking for her, a body double providing all the evidence the world needs to see that she is dead. It's a horrific scenario, made worse by her captors determination to prove that he is protecting her and taking care of her. He talks about their future together, how they will grow and work together. When Elaine starts to disappoint him he has no choice but to look for another partner, someone who can meet his intellectual needs and satisfy his demands. When a second woman goes missing D.I Callanach can't shake the feeling that the two cases are related, especially when a second body is discovered with just enough forensic evidence to prove that the body is that of the missing woman.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What started as a missing persons case soon grows into a massive police operation, complicated by personal relationships and unwanted help. Luc Callanach may be a Detective Inspector, but he is also the newest member of the team and doesn't have the history and local track record needed to throw his weight around in the case. His best ally is Ava Turner, another Detective Inspector, but she is wrangling a complicated case of her own and becomes distant when he shuts her out for asking uncomfortable personal questions. Callanach is playing a game of cat and mouse with a man who's struggling with the reality of a dream turning sour, and no one seems to be looking in the right direction. Will Callanach untangle the mess in time to save the victims of this crazed jailer?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perfect remains is an older book now, but that doesn't detract from the fact it is a very good read. I only discovered the series because my local public library has a new books list, and one of the recent titles appeared on that list - it sounded so good I had to see how the series started! Perfect remains is the perfect introduction to Luc Callanach and his world - both as a flawed and very human police officer, but also on a more personal level. I don't like characters that are too perfect, or cases that go too smoothly - they don't feel real and lack the depth and failings that make them relateable. This is true of the orbiting characters as well as the main characters, and it was a very real feeling world that we enter alongside Luc. It will be interesting to see how the series develops (book two is on the way).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The lost</i> by Simon Beckett</span></li><li style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/07/when-you-are-mine-by-michael-robotham.html" target="_blank">When you are mine</a></i> by Michael Robotham</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: white;">Crimson Lake</i><span style="background-color: white;"> by Candice Fox</span></span></li></span></span><li style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The puppet show </i>by M.W. Craven</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i>2 sisters detective agency</i> by James Patterson and Candice Fox</span></li></span></span><li style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/when-darkness-calls-by-mark-griffin.html" target="_blank">When darkness calls</a></i> by Mark Griffin</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>The coast to coast murders </i>by James Patterson and J.D.Barker</span></span></span></span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></span></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-19721252388400729342023-01-06T13:00:00.045+13:002023-01-11T13:50:27.419+13:00Alias Emma by Ava Glass<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Movies and TV series always make the life of a spy seem glamorous and dangerous with conspiracies and villains around every corner. It is a seductive image for some, but far from the truth for most spies. Emma Makepeace's current assignment is neither glamorous, nor particularly dangerous - she is keeping tabs on a person of interest who is anything but interesting. The job isn't the most exciting in the world, but as they say be careful what you wish for, because wanting a more exciting assignment can lead to you actually getting one! Her cruisy little assignment ends abruptly when she is called in to bring in a man that has a very large target on his back - and has no interest in coming into protective custody.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">An assassination team has been targeting former Russians living in the United Kingdom, and they are very good at their job. Emma is giving the 'simple' task of convincing a potential target to come into protective custody, but as she soon discovers he is not keen to abandon his job as a doctor for a potential threat. Convincing him to go with her is only the first part of the challenge, London is one of the most heavily surveilled cities, with CCTV cameras everywhere. It is a race against time, and as a very junior spy Emma has limited resources and connections to see them safely to where they need to be. It would be a mistake for Emma to underestimate how badly the Russians want their target dead - but it is also a mistake for them to underestimate Emma and how far she will go to complete her mission.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Alias Emma</i> is an adrenaline fueled read that deserves to be read in a single session. This is a book that starts with a bang and doesn't stop until the last page. There have been several action thrillers written over the past few years that are written in the same spare style (possibly best described as the James Patterson effect) and they have all ultimately taken the action thriller and distilled it down to the key elements - creating a fast-paced read that hooks you without distraction from start to finish. Glass has created a unique and interesting cast of characters that are put to the test in some rather interesting ways. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Look out for the sequel Game of spies which is due for release in August 2023.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-house-of-killers-by-samantha-lee.html" target="_blank">The house of killers</a> </i>by Samantha Lee Howe</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The coast to coast murders</i> by James Patterson and J.D.Barker</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The accident man</i> by Tom Cain</span></li><li style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-runner-by-stephen-leather.html" target="_blank"><i>The runner</i> </a>by Stephen Leather</span></span></li><span><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><i>Kill a stranger by Simon Kernick</i></li><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-cleaner-by-mark-dawson.html" target="_blank"><i>The Cleaner</i> </a>by Mark Dawson</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"></span><li style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Orphan X</i> by Gregg Hurwitz</span></span></span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-family: &quot; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/12/spare-me-truth-by-cj-carver.html" target="_blank">Spare me the truth</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by C.J. Carver</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">The killing kind </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">by Chris Holm</span></span></span></span></span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Reviewed by Brilla</span></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-70534356831157581032023-01-04T13:51:00.075+13:002023-01-11T14:43:30.212+13:00Truly darkly deeply by Victoria Selman<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When she was a child Sophie's mother Amelia-Rose packed up their lives and moved them from Massachusetts in the United States of America, all the way to London in the United Kingdom. Saying it was a shock is an understatement, and not just because of the culture shock - their new lives are very different to the one they had living in the home of Sophie's grandparents. Determined to do it alone after her parents forced her out, Amelia-Rose starts a new life with Sophie, encouraging her to embrace her new life. Doing it alone is tough, but then Amelia-Rose meets Matty Melgren and she is suddenly not so alone. Matty seems to appear at the perfect time, for both Sophie and Amelia-Rose, but then the murders start to happen. Women are being murdered in the area where they live, women who look a lot like Amelia-Rose and Sophie is terrified that her mother might be next despite confident denials from both Matty and her mother. It is a tense time for everyone, most of all a sensitive young girl coping with an unsettled home life on top of everything else.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Twenty years later Sophie is quietly going about her life when a letter arrives from Battlemouth Prison stating that Matty would like to see her. It is a letter she would rather avoid, along with all the memories of what happened when Matty was arrested for the murders. After years of therapy Sophie has reached a certain kind of peace, but meeting with Matty may be the final piece of the puzzle. Matty has always professed his innocence, and there are plenty of other people who agree, not to mention all the true crime and justice blogs, podcasts and websites that support his claims of innocence. None of those people were there though, they didn't have to live through the terror of the murders, or the fall out for the 'daughter' of the man convicted of the murders. Sophie has to decide if she will meet with Matty, it will be the first time she faces him, and they are both holding onto the past. His conviction was the start of a downward spiral in her life and sometimes forgiveness is something you can't afford to give.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Truly darkly deeply</i> is an interesting and engaging read where you are never quite sure where things are going until the end - partly because of the writers style which includes the present day, the past, and sprinklings of news reports and other bits and pieces. It also really challenging to review as the best parts of the story are revealed throughout the book and I don't want to risk spoilers that aren't covered by the blurb! It could have been a trainwreck of trying to jam too many things together, but Selman has managed to pull it off in a way that is thoroughly readable and allows you to connect with Sophie on many levels. In some ways <i>Truly darkly deeply</i> is a murder mystery, and in some ways it is a coming-of-age story - although not a coming of age many of us would endure by choice. Highly recommended, especially if you like an intelligent read that spreads clues throughout the story rather than leading you by the nose.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The puppet show </i>by M.W. Craven</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Katherine Firkin</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/when-darkness-calls-by-mark-griffin.html" target="_blank">When darkness calls</a></i> by Mark Griffin</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i>A killer's mind</i> by Mike Omer</span></li></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/01/look-what-you-made-me-do-by-elaine.html" target="_blank">Look what you made me</a></i> do by Elaine Murphy</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> </i>by Ali Land</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Look what you made me do </i>by Elaine Murphy</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/07/when-you-are-mine-by-michael-robotham.html" target="_blank">When you are mine</a></i> by Michael Robotham</li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Every last fear</i> by Alex Finlay</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/04/a-flicker-in-dark-by-stacy-willingham.html" target="_blank">A flicker in the dark</a></i> by Stacy Willingham</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-474373919974869472023-01-02T14:50:00.000+13:002023-01-11T14:53:36.731+13:00The Corpse Queen by Heather M. Herrman<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Molly Green has spent the last few years of her life living in an orphanage - it's a tough life, made harder by the fact she had to watch as her parents rode away and left her behind. The only real light in her life is her friendship with Kitty, a beautiful girl with a secret that only Molly and one other knows. When Kitty is found dead, drowned in the river, Molly is convinced it is murder - not a popular view with the nuns who run the orphanage. As a punishment for her willfulness and stubborn refusal to accept that Kitty committed suicide the nuns turn Molly out, a few weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday. Mother Superior takes great delight in sharing the news, the only softening of the blow is the news that her 'aunt' has claimed her and offered her a place in her household. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Molly is convinced it is a trick, that the orphanage has sold her off as a maid, so she is genuinely shocked to discover that Ava really is her aunt. Records and documents can be faked, but Ava's uncanny resemblance to Molly's mother can't be faked. Ava offers Molly a place in her household, the promise of a bright future in polite society. After growing up so poor, and expecting nothing in life, Ava's promise of a future where she will want for nothing is very tempting indeed - but there is a price to pay. Ava is well known and respected in polite society, but to another kind of society she is known as the Corpse Queen. Ava and her workers collect bodies and other specimens for medical students and collectors - an illegal and lucrative practice. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Determined to find Kitty's killer, Molly is drawn to the medical students who flock around the doctor that Ava works with. She knows that one of them was involved with Kitty, and watching them makes it clear that they are arrogant and spoiled - given so much when she has so little. As Molly is drawn deeper into Ava's world she discovers a burning desire she never knew she had - the desire to become a doctor herself. It's a dangerous time to be a woman working the streets, albeit it in a capacity other than the usual occupation of a woman working at night, because there is a killer hunting and killing women. Molly has been drawn into a dangerous where no one is what they seem, and everything is covered by a thin veneer of polite society. Will Molly uncover the truth of what being the Corpse Queen truly means before it's too late?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The Corpse Queen</i> is a well written and addictive read that keeps you hooked from the very start. Molly's world is rendered in clear (but not exhaustive) detail, and brings to life the stark contrast between the lives of freedom so many of us live now, and what it was like to be a woman coming of age in a world controlled by men. Molly is brave, determined, but also flawed - as are the people who orbit her world. There is a mystery and sense of danger that hunts her as the story unfolds, as well as true friends and strange new enemies. This could be a standalone novel as it is very complete in itself - but there is a sense that there could be a sequel as well. Another brilliant historical novel for teenagers and adult readers alike.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><u><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">If you like this book then try:</span></u></span></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-by-sarah-j.html" target="_blank">A court of thorns and roses</a></em> by Sarah J. Maas</span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/throne-of-glass-by-sarah-j-maas.html" target="_blank"><i>Throne of glass</i></a><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none;"> by Sarah J. Maas</span></span></li><li><i>The glass spare </i>by Lauren DeStefano</li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/the-girl-of-fire-and-thorns-by-rae.html" target="_blank"><i>The girl of fire and thorns</i></a> by Rae Carson</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span></span><li><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/vessel-by-sarah-beth-durst.html" target="_blank">Vessel</a> </em>by Sarah Beth Durst</li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Not even bones</i> by Rebecca Schaeffer</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-witch-haven-by-sasha-peyton-smith.html" target="_blank">The witch haven</a></i> by Sasha Peyton Smith</span></li><li><i>Forest of a thousand lanterns</i> by Julie C. Dao</li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/walk-on-earth-stranger-by-rae-carson.html" target="_blank">Walk on Earth a stranger</a></i> by Rae Carson</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2016/03/court-of-fives-by-kate-elliott.html" style="color: #0066cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" target="_blank"><i>Court of fives</i></a><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Kate Elliott</span></span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></span></span><li><i>Girls of paper and fire </i>by Natasha Ngan</li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/09/warrior-of-wild-by-tricia-levenseller.html" target="_blank">Warrior of the wild</a></i> by Tricia Levenseller</span></li></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span></div></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></div></div></span></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-45137372868880028442022-07-19T13:08:00.005+12:002022-07-19T13:08:25.221+12:00James Patterson by James Patterson<span style="font-family: arial;">James Patterson is one of the most (if not the most) prolific writers of the past few decades - releasing several books each year, the majority of which are collaborations with other writers. I am very much a James Patterson fan and although I don't read absolutely everything he releases I have read the majority of them. His memoir is one of the best I have read (and I have read many), the main reason being that it feels like you have met James Patterson and you're just sitting down for a chat rather than reading through a book. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This is not a chronological story - I was born, I grew up, I did this, I did that - it is instead an introduction to the life and experiences of James Patterson the man, not just James Patterson the author. For me it very much had the feel of being an appearance on a chat show, just with the host missing or muted so all you can hear is James Patterson talking about James Patterson.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Told in the short, punchy chapters that Patterson is famous for, it is all too easy to start reading and loose track of time as you move from memory to experience, to life lesson. There are some surprising anecdotes involving some surprisingly famous people. as well as sweet (or bitter sweet depending on the situation) memories of the people who have had an influence on his life. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This was a surprisingly fun read, partly because of the situations Patterson has found himself in, but also because he has a warmth and charisma that comes through - and a really good sense of humour too! After reading <i>James Patterson </i>by James Patterson I can now share his co-authoring style when I am asked - something I get asked surprisingly often as a librarian. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Even if you are not a James Patterson fan - or don't have strong feelings either way - this is a great read.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-10654218908745453782022-07-14T10:42:00.009+12:002022-07-19T13:08:48.505+12:00Be not far from me by Mindy McGinnis<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ashley Hawkins is strong, fiercely independent and doesn't back down from a fight. Raised in small town Tennessee, Ashley is practically a hillbilly - living in trailer with her father after her mother walked out on them both, hunting to add food to the table, able to shoot a gun and use her fists in a fight. That fighting spirit has got her into trouble, but it has also lead to her winning running races and earning a full scholarship to college - her chance at a real future. She also has two close friends who alternate between keeping her sane and driving her nuts, and a boyfriend who takes her as she is. Life isn't perfect, but it works. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A party in the woods doesn't seem like a bad idea - booze, good friends, the chance to get cozy with her boyfriend Duke - what more could a girl like Ashley want? Even though they can't have sex because Ashley has her period, the night seems to be working out great - until she stumbles across Duke and his ex-girlfriend having sex in the woods. Determined to get away from them both Ashley runs off into the woods after giving Duke a (very physical) piece of her mind and finds herself lost and injured in the woods far from help and with nothing but the clothes on her back and her wits to help her survive. AS the days pass by and her injury becomes infected Ashley has no choice but to fight on, using the skills she learned from Davey Beet at summer camp to survive - trying to ignore the niggling voice that says Davey walked into the same woods and never returned, so what chance does she have.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mindy McGinnis has written across different genre, and her book <i>A madness so discreet</i> is one of my favourites from the past decade. McGinnis writes strong, relateable characters that suck you into their story pretty quickly, and Ashley was no exception. Ashley is smart, observant, and sees the world for what it is - she has learned that life is hard, but that feeling sorry for yourself doesn't get you anywhere. As we follow Ashley through her 'now' we learn more about her 'then' and why she is the way she is. This isn't a fluffy girl power novel, a chance to show perfection - at times it is gritty, scary, and leaves you wondering if you could do what Ashley does, if you could survive. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I won't say too much more because this is a story that needs to be read more than it needs to be reviewed - but I will say that this is a book for more than the teen audience it was categorised for at my local library. This is a tightly written novel that has relateable characters and life threatening situations that I was hooked on as an adult reader. This is also one of those books that may have a female lead character, but will appeal to a wider audience as well. One of the must read teen (and adult) novels of 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline;">If you like this book then try:</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"></span></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: &quot; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>The lovely and the lost </i>by Jennifer Lynn Barnes</span></span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">In another life</i><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by C.C. Hunter</span></span></span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: &quot; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2016/10/holding-smoke-by-elle-cosimano.html" target="_blank">Holding smoke</a></i> by Elle Cosimano</span></li><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: &quot; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>Nearly gone</i> by Elle Cosimano</span></li><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: &quot; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/01/the-stranger-game-by-cylin-busby.html" target="_blank">The stranger game</a></i> by Cylin Busby</span></li></span></span><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2012/09/i-hunt-killers-by-barry-lyga.html" target="_blank">I hunt killers</a></em> by Barry Lyga</span></span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em>Dead to you</em> by Lisa McMann</span></span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2014/03/burning-blue-by-paul-griffin.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Burning blue</span></a></em><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by Paul Griffin</span></span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>Aftermath</i> by Kelley Armstrong</span></span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: &quot; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2016/03/what-waits-in-woods-by-kieran-scott.html" target="_blank">What waits in the woods</a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Kieran Scott</span></span></span></li></span></ul><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span><br /></span><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face="&quot" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-24959668623842196212022-07-01T11:15:00.027+12:002022-07-15T11:38:48.680+12:00Child zero by Chris Holm<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Welcome to the world of our future, where our overuse (and misuse) of antibiotics has met with ancient bacteria and resulted in the perfect storm of a world where you can die from simple infections and viruses. The world has plunged from being in a bright and prosperous time, to an almost medieval world of death and an unbelievable gulf between the haves and the have nots. It's not just down to the lack of antibiotics though, they are also living in a world trying to recover from an act of bioterrorism from a fundamentalist with the goal of reducing the human population to save the planet. The 8/17 attack as it came to be known wiped out thousands of lives in New York, lead to the creation of a 'refugee' camp in Central Park, a law that requires you to report anyone with a serious illness, and generally created a lack of trust in the people of New York who have found themselves in a world where surviving the rat race has a completely new meaning.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The 8/17 attack left Detective Jacob 'Jake' Gibson a widower with a young daughter to raise and protect, a young daughter who is now sick and that last thing he wants to do is follow the law and report her. The last thing he needs is for an explosive case to land in his lap, but that is exactly what happens when he and his partner are called to the scene of a massacre at the Central Park camp. Someone managed to get into the camp and kill an entire settlement with no one being the wiser, and that someone seems determined to track down a young boy who survived the massacre. Mateo managed to escape but he's not safe yet, and he has no idea how far the men who are chasing him will go to track him down and bring him in. Jake and his partner have walked into a conspiracy that has it's fingers in the past and the future - and they have no idea who they are facing or how deep the rabbit hole goes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This book was absolutely terrifying to read - and not for the reason you might suspect - it is because this is a work that is best described as speculative fiction, our future that is just around the corner but coming into view. For years (decades?) we've been hearing about how bacteria is becoming more resistant to medications, way more than the traditional baddies like MRSA, and that scientists have discovered all sorts of nasty ancient microbes while exploring permafrost layers in far flung places. Reading the reality of a world where this disaster waiting to happen has actually happened is scary beyond comprehension - simple injuries can kill you, as can viruses, things that have been treated and healed for years are suddenly fatal and medical care has been shot back to the dark ages. The underlying conspiracy is also all to easy to believe - the rich will always look after themselves, as will the powerful, and no one wants their dirty laundry aired in public.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is an addictive read that was hard to put down, and a lot of that comes from the realism and the relateable characters. It is all to easy to put yourself in Jake's shoes, to understand his motivation and drive. There are moments where it is easy to see the best in people, but also the best of people. I also laughed out loud a few times, which may seem strange until you realise that I live in New Zealand and there are quite a few references to our little country at the bottom of the world. I can't help but think that Holm got the idea from our closed borders during the first two years of the pandemic. A highly recommended, if scary read, for lovers of speculative fiction or action novels.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><u>If you like this book then try:</u></span><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em>Jurassic Park</em> by Michael Crichton</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2014/04/next-by-michael-crichton.html" target="_blank">Next</a> </i>by Michael Crichton</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em>The devil's cure</em> by Kenneth Oppel</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em>Antibodies</em> by Kevin J. Anderson</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/zoo-by-james-patterson-and-michael.html" target="_blank">Zoo</a></em> by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-70506214355156883292022-04-05T08:38:00.003+12:002022-04-05T08:38:26.965+12:00A flicker in the dark by Stacy Willingham<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Chloe Davis is a medical psychologist working in Baton Rouge Louisiana. She specialises in working with young people who have faced trauma and trouble in their past, an uncomfortable niche for some. Unlike most psychologists Chloe has an added advantage when working with troubled youth, an edge that gives her extra insight into what they are going through. Chloe knows what it is like to sit on the couch and play the game, knows what doctors keep in their filing cabinets - because twenty years ago Chloe was the one sitting on the couch. Twenty years ago her world came crashing down when her father was arrested and imprisoned for the murder of teenage girls in their small town of Breaux Bridge. It was a traumatic time, not just because of losing their father, but also because of what came after.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Escaping from Breaux Bridge was just the start of a new life for Chloe and she has worked hard to get to where she is. It hasn't been an easy ride but she has a home of her own and a loving fiancée who accepts her as she is - even after she told him about her past and her father. Things aren't perfect, her brother Cooper doesn't approve of her whirlwind romance and engagement, and a reporter has started sniffing around about her father and the case - but she's coping. Then a teenage girl goes missing, and Chloe is drawn to the search, which turns out to be a mistake. Then a second girl goes missing - a girl that has a connection to Chloe. Thrust into the police spotlight Chloe is eager to help, but her past is more of a hinderance than a help - and the finger of suspicion can easily point both ways. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>A flicker in the dark</i> is one of the better psychological thrillers I have read in the past few years - and there are parts of the story that make it really tricky to review well without giving spoilers! Chloe is an interesting character with all the flaws that make us well rounded people - she is a psychologist who really should know better, self prescribing and drinking to deal with her past. The people in her life are also complex and 'real' - and the interpersonal relationships are part of what makes this an interesting and very realistic read. The story is straight forward on the surface, but the more you read, and the more you learn, the more you realise that you don't really know anything - about anyone.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a rewarding read and it will be interesting to see if Stacy Willingham is able to bring us more books of this caliber in the future - highly recommended.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><u style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div><div><div><ul><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i>The puppet show </i><span style="font-family: arial;">by M.W. Craven</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/the-edge-of-normal-by-carla-norton.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The edge of normal</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Carla Norton</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Every last fear</i> by Alex Finlay</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="&quot" style="font-size: 16px;"><span face="&quot"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li style="font-style: italic;"><i>The coast to coast murders </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">by James Patterson and J.D.Barker</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-lost-by-simon-beckett.html" target="_blank">The lost</a> by Simon Beckett</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="&quot" style="font-size: 16px;"><span face="&quot"><li><span face="&quot"><span face="&quot"><span><i>Gathering dark</i> by Candice Fox</span></span></span></li></span></span></span><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"> by Ali Land</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Look what you made me do by Elaine Murphy</i></span></li></ul></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-27679095384665577922022-01-17T11:24:00.028+13:002023-01-11T14:22:03.517+13:00The lost by Simon Beckett<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Jonah Colley is a sergeant with the Metroplitan Police firearms unit, he has to deal with intense and unpredictable situations regularly as part of his job, but nothing he's done before could have prepared him for Slaughter Quay. When he answers a call from an old friend while on a night out with the other members of his team he has no idea that he is about to walk into a nightmare. He hasn't seen his former friend Gavin McKinney in ten years, not since Jonah's young son Theo went missing and his world fell apart. Gavin and Jonah grew up thick as thieves, and when they both married their wives Marie and Chrissie, they became closer rather than drifting apart. That all ended when Theo went missing and Jonah and Chrissie got divorced. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Jonah has no idea why Gavin would contact him for help, but he can't ignore the call and ends up in a dodgy old warehouse - and discovers four bodies, including Gavin. He tries to help, but ends up attacked himself, nearly dying in the process. When Jonah wakes up in hospital with a potentially permanent injury that seems like the worse news he could have - until he realises that he is a suspect in the deaths. Detective Inspector Fletcher and Detective Sergeant Bennet are investigating the case, and Fletcher in particular seems determined to pin the murders on Jonah. It's a nightmare he can't wake up from, and once he realises there is a potential connection to his sons disappearance Jonah finds himself sucked down the rabbit hole of the case. As Jonah tries to untangle the case building around him, one of the things that DI Fletcher latches on to is why Gavin would call Jonah for help after all these years, and why their friendship drifted apart in the first place. It is a race against time - and Jonah has no idea who he is dealing with. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I read a lot of crime and police procedural fiction, and <i>The lost</i> was one of the stand out books in the genre(s) from the past few years. Simon Beckett has struck the right balance between building his character (Jonah) and the world he lives in, without distracting you with too much detail or adding too much weight to the story. I personally like a story that keeps moving, which means I am quite partial to books where the story starts and then details are added by having glimpses into the past, or having the story introduce pieces of the past through interactions between characters. Not everyone does this well, in some cases it feels like a contrived writing style - but Beckett does it very, very well. Jonah is the focal point of the story (as he should be) but you do get a sense of the other characters, and you feel for them as well as events unfold.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a slightly different take on the police procedural, mainly because Jonah is a police officer but he is on the outside of the case. The story as it unfolds was also a welcome change, something I have not come across before, or at least not often enough to recognise what was happening too early in the book. This is the start of a series, and it will be interesting to see where Beckett takes the series from here based on how the book ends (don't worry, no spoilers). <i>The lost</i> starts the Jonah Colley thriller series with a bang.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/07/when-you-are-mine-by-michael-robotham.html" target="_blank">When you are mine</a></i> by Michael Robotham</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: white;">Crimson Lake</i><span style="background-color: white;"> by Candice Fox</span></span></li></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The puppet show </i>by M.W. Craven</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><i>2 sisters detective agency</i> by James Patterson and Candice Fox</span></li></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/when-darkness-calls-by-mark-griffin.html" target="_blank">When darkness calls</a></i> by Mark Griffin</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>The coast to coast murders </i>by James Patterson and J.D.Barker</span></span></span></span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-62701223162412159092022-01-16T13:16:00.001+13:002022-01-18T13:52:14.925+13:00Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wroble<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All through her childhood Rose Gold Watts was seriously ill - at least, that is what her mother led her to believe. Chronic nausea and vomiting, strange symptoms that couldn't be pinned down to any one illness, and an inability to keep her weight up stunted Rose Gold's growth and left her with a terrible smile and a certain amount of ridicule in her hometown of Deadwick. The most shocking part of the case is that her mother, Patty, was charged with aggravated child abuse for deliberately starving and mistreating Rose Gold - which earned her a five year jail term. When she is due to be released she has nowhere to turn but Rose Gold, and more than a few people are surprised when Rose Gold agrees to let Patty move in with her and her infant son Adam. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The relationship between Rose Gold and Patty is strained from the start - Patty blames Rose Gold for what happened, especially after Rose Gold testified against her at the trial. Patty is determined to pick up her life where she left off, return to being the mother Rose Gold obviously, desperately needs - but Rose Gold keeps her at a distance, and seems reluctant to leave Adam with her. The town of Deadwick isn't exactly welcoming either, all her old friends and neighbours have turned against 'Poisonous Patty' after what she did to Rose Gold, and no one seems to be willing to listen to her side of the story. Patty knows that Rose Gold is up to something and thinks that she knows exactly what Rose Gold is capable of doing, she raised her after all, but a lot can change in five years.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Darling Rose Gold</i> was a surprising find in the new books list for my local public library. The blurb for the book suggested it was a psychological thriller (which it is) which appealed to me as well written psychological thrillers are amazingly addictive to read - and this was a very well written psychological thriller indeed. I have read about Munchausen syndrome by proxy before in the memoir Sickened: The memoir of a Munchausen by Proxy Childhood by Julie Gregory, and I have seen and read other things as well so had some idea of what to expect. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The main characters of Patty and Rose Gold bring the realities of Munchausen syndrome by proxy to life - Rose Gold ignorant of what was happening to her throughout her childhood, and Patty determined to see herself as the victim of a system that fails to recognise everything she did for Rose Gold. Told in a mix of current time with flashback chapters that slowly bring you up to date, this is a story that will drag you into the story and keep you there from start to finish. It is challenging to really sell the story without dropping too many potential spoilers, but the relationship between Patty and Rose Gold is what drives this story forward - not just the relationship they have, but also the relationship Patty thinks they have. This is a very well written book that is both engrossing and thoroughly believable. Highly recommended.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><u style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div><div><div><ul><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The wife</i> by Alafair Burke</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Safe</i> by S.K. Barnett</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/when-darkness-calls-by-mark-griffin.html" target="_blank">When darkness calls</a> </i>by Mark Griffin</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i>The puppet show </i><span style="font-family: arial;">by M.W. Craven</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i>The liar's daughter</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Claire Allan</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="&quot" style="font-size: 16px;"><span face="&quot"><li><span face="&quot"><span face="&quot"><span><i>Gathering dark</i> by Candice Fox</span></span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/12/spare-me-truth-by-cj-carver.html" target="_blank">Spare me the truth</a></i> by C.J. Carver</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The half sister </i>by Sandie Jones</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Then she was gone </i>by Lisa Jewell</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"> by Ali Land</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Look what you made me do </i>by Elaine Murphy</span></li></ul></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-42024149219534434462022-01-07T10:57:00.056+13:002022-01-18T15:28:54.196+13:00Six crimson cranes by Elizabeth Lim<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Princess Shiori'anma is the youngest child of Emperor Hanriyu and his only daughter - she is head strong, strong willed, and can use forbidden magic. As the daughter of the emperor she has been betrothed to a total stranger, a pawn for the benefit of the kingdom. On the day of her betrothal ceremony she runs and jumps into the Sacred Lake, where she meets a dragon and seals her fate. She has embarrassed her father in front of the whole kingdom and must make amends, but she has also found a teacher of magic - the dragon Seryu. As Shiori learns about magic from Seryu and learns to harness it, she also toils under the watchful eye of her stepmother to produce an apology to her betrothed Takkan Bushian and his family. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It is a careful balancing act, Shiori is eager to learn about magic, but she also has to keep a watchful eye on her stepmother - who seems to be keeping an equally careful eye on Shiori. When Shiori's curiosity gets the better of her and she spies on her stepmother she makes a startling discovery - and suffers a terrifying punishment. Her stepmother uses magic to turn Shiori's brothers into cranes and hides Shiori under a magical disguise. When she wakes far away from home she learns her stepmothers cruelty doesn't end there, because for each word she says one of her brothers will die. The only chance to save herself and her brothers is a magical quest that will push her to the limits.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Six crimson cranes</i> is a stunning retelling of the 'Six swans' traditional tale - and it is a vibrant and rich story that uses the traditional story as a base but brings so much more to the table. The world of Princess Shiori and her family is richly imagined and totally engrossing, with little cultural details and hints that make it a complete world in it's own right. I have read a previous duology by Elizabeth Lim, and she has once again proved that she is an exceptional writer with an easy style that lets you drop right into her world and feel right at home. Not every reader will recognise the source material for <i>Six crimson cranes</i>, but that doesn't matter because Lim has taken the source and woven her own story that stands on its own merits. Often retellings of traditional stories keep their story short, but at more than 400 pages Lim has created an epic story - with the potential for more stories set in the same world.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I love reading modern retellings of traditional stories as they can keep those traditional stories alive in a new form, and they can offer unique perspectives on those stories by adding cultural elements or other touches that give the story a unique flavour. Elizabeth Lim, along with Julie C. Dao, are two authors who are taking traditional tales and adding to them with a distinctly Asian cultural feel that is both very satisfying and leaves you wanting more! Hopefully Elizabeth Lim will have many more stories to share as they are a real treat.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div><ul style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/12/spin-dawn-by-elizabeth-lim.html" target="_blank">Spin the dawn</a></i> by Elizabeth Lim</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Forest of a thousand lanterns</i> by Julie C. Dao</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Kingdom of the blazing phoenix</i> by Julie C. Dao</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/throne-of-glass-by-sarah-j-maas.html" target="_blank">Throne of glass</a></i> by Sarah J. Maas</span></li><li style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-by-sarah-j.html" target="_blank">A court of thorns and roses</a></em> by Sarah J. Maas</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Girls of paper and fire</i> by Natasha Ngan</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em>Graceling</em> by Kristin Cashore</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/vessel-by-sarah-beth-durst.html" target="_blank">Vessel</a> </em>by Sarah Beth Durst</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/the-girl-of-fire-and-thorns-by-rae.html" target="_blank"><i>The girl of fire and thorns</i></a> by Rae Carson</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/walk-on-earth-stranger-by-rae-carson.html" target="_blank">Walk on Earth a stranger</a></i> by Rae Carson</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/09/warrior-of-wild-by-tricia-levenseller.html" target="_blank">Warrior of the wild</a></i> by Tricia Levenseller</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Sea witch</i> by Sarah Henning</span></li></ul><div style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></div></span></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-41927405547452589982022-01-06T10:00:00.035+13:002022-01-08T10:57:34.883+13:002 sisters detective agency by James Patterson and Candice Fox<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rhonda Bird is a public defender in Denver, Colorado. She's worked hard to get where she is, and she stands out from the crowd - not just because of her physical size, but also because of the way she dresses. She is used to rolling with the punches and dealing with challenging clients - ignoring the anger and frustration from some, dealing with the fear and anxiety of others, and staring down the threats. When she receives a call out of the blue from her estranged fathers attorney she is not particularly interested in what he has to say - even after he informs her that her father is dead. Rhonda has no interest in the man who walked out of her life twenty five years ago, and she has no interest in his estate - but heads off to Los Angeles when the lawyer insists and makes a startling discovery. She has a teenaged half sister, who everyone calls Baby, and she is now her legal guardian.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Baby is everything Rhonda is not - model thin, gorgeous, and she had a relationship with their father. To say they are not thrilled with the news is an understatement - Rhonda can't help but feel some resentment towards the sister who their father actually stuck around for, and Baby is used to doing her own thing and does not need Rhonda watching out for her. It is a rocky start to the relationship, and when someone Baby knows arrives at the detective agency their father left them asking for help, things get a whole lot worse. Ashton and his friends are in over their heads - they just don't know how deep - and Rhonda and Baby may be the only ones who can save them. Assuming they aren't too busy avoiding the other inheritance daddy dearest left them with.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>2 sisters detective agency</i> is a fantastic read, but is one of those annoying books that is hard to review without introducing too many spoilers along the way. We are introduced to Rhonda and Baby's world with a bang, and just like real life their world and relationship are complicated from the get go. In many ways I connected with Rhonda quickly because I know what it's like to have a dad who didn't stick around, but who came back into my life later, and who was quite happy to play happy families with the children of partners. I also liked Baby (after a while) - might be because of all the psychology that comes into it. They are interesting characters, and you can see the depth to them both, layers that get peeled back as the story goes on. There is also a certain humour that runs through the story, including some very funny moments - which balances out some of the not so pleasant parts.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There is a teaser that this is the start of a series, and there is a lot to like here - particularly as Patterson and Fox have very similar writing styles so the story is seamless. Hopefully we get to see a lot more of Rhonda and Baby.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><u><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">If you like this book then try:</span></u><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2016/09/never-never-by-james-patterson-and.html" target="_blank">Never never</a> </em>by James Patterson and Candice Fox</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Crimson Lake</i> by Candice Fox</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/06/gathering-dark-by-candice-fox.html" target="_blank">Gathering dark </a></i>by Candice Fox</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>1st case </i>by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Look what you made me do</i> by Elaine Murphy</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>The puppet show</i> by M.W. Craven</span></span></li><li><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Alafair Burke</span></i></span></span></span></li><li><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>The liar's daughter</i> by Claire Allan</span></span></span></span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Katherine Firkin</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-64680095920754233942022-01-04T16:00:00.039+13:002022-01-05T10:54:11.677+13:00The cult by Abby Davies<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hannah and Greg Woods are missing - they disappeared from their home in the early hours of the morning, leaving their parents in a panic. Greg was planing to sneak out on his own to meet his special friends, but Hannah wouldn't let him leave the house on his own so now they are both in trouble. Their disappearance gains instant attention, not only because of a nearby murder, but also because they are not the first children to disappear without a trace in the local area. Detective Inspector Pearline Ottoline used to be with Missing Persons and was involved in the search for little Isabelle Hart, and her failure to find her follows her around like a cloud - even though she is now with the Major Crimes. With two missing children the stress levels are rising, and she is putting herself under increasing pressure to solve the disappearance of the Woods children.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">While DI Ottoline and her team are investigating the disappearance of the children their mother, Lily Woods, is frantically conducting her own search. She is determined to find her children, and she is not content to stay and home with her distant husband - she is going to find them. The horror of her missing babies is amplified by her forgetting to take her medication, and it feels like everyone is against her. As the case ramps up it slowly becomes clear that there is a link between current events and events at a commune where Uncle Saviour promised to lead his followers to Eternal Life. One of his most faithful followers is his niece Love, and as she grows up in the commune she develops a true and deep devotion to their goals - but what connection does the events of the past have with current events?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The cult </i>is a somewhat predictable story if you look at the big picture and story arc - but it is one of the best examples of this type of story I have read in a long time. The technique of switching between events in the past and events in the current time is well used by crime authors, and there definitely seems to be a tendency for British crime authors to use it - but in this case Davies has done an excellent job of using the technique as it was intended. The tension in the story builds in the present, and the events of the past build in parallel, making you think you might know what is happening/happened but you're not 100% sure. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Davies has created some memorable and very relateable characters. No one is perfect, everyone has flaws, and you get to peel back the layers of the different people as you share their story. As someone who reads a lot (really a lot) of crime I can find it challenging to see past the cliché to really enjoy books and a lot of what I read (again really lots) ends up discarded after a chapter or two because the author fails to engage you with the story, or because the characters/setting just feels like every other book I have read. In contrast, I thoroughly enjoyed <i>The cult </i>and resented not being able to read the book in one setting - though on the positive side I can say that it is easy to keep track of the story if you have to pick it up and put it down a few times. A fantastic find and a great way to kick off 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></span></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>Mercy killing </i>by Lisa Cutts</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/04/then-she-was-gone-by-lisa-jewell.html" target="_blank">Then she was gone </a></i>by Lisa Jewell</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>When I was ten</i> by Fiona Cummins</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/when-darkness-calls-by-mark-griffin.html" target="_blank">When darkness calls</a> </i>by Mark Griffin</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>The puppet show</i> by M.W. Craven</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/07/when-you-are-mine-by-michael-robotham.html" target="_blank">When you are mine </a></i>by Michael Robotham</span></span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The slaughter man </i>by Tony Parsons</span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li style="font-family: &quot;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/07/the-girl-in-ice-by-robert-bryndza.html" target="_blank"><i>The girl in the ice</i></a> by Robert Bryndza</span></li></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li style="font-family: &quot;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>Crimson Lake</i> by Candice Fox</span></li></span></span><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>What was mine</i> by Helen Klein Ross</span></span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i>Without trace</i> by Simon Booker</span></span></span></li><li><i style="font-family: arial;">The liar's daughter</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Claire Allan</span></li><li><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"> by Ali Land</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-68936957512671586472022-01-03T10:58:00.038+13:002022-01-05T11:33:07.450+13:00Look what you made me do by Elaine Murphy<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For the past ten years Carrie has been helping her older sister Becca move furniture. Sounds innocent enough, but in Becca's case asking Carrie to help her move furniture is a euphemism for helping Becca dispose of a dead body. It started with one body when they were teenagers, and the planting of evidence on the body that would lead back to Carrie if the body was ever discovered. Suitably terrified of what could happen Carrie helped her sister, and helped her, and helped her until it just became the way they were. If someone got in Becca's way she took them out and made Carrie help her - is it any surprise that Carrie is a bundle of resentful nerves towards her sister?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Becca is self-centered, does what she wants when she wants, and makes herself at home in Carrie's life as often as she likes. Their parents know what Becca is like, but instead of dealing with it they moved away to a part of the country Becca can't stand - leaving Carrie to deal with her on her own. When the latest piece of furniture they move happens to be someone that was up against Carrie for a promotion Carrie is worried it will be traced back to her in some way - something that is assured when multiple remains are found in the park where they buried the body.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Suddenly it seems as though the world is closing in - does Carrie really know her sister at all? Although she denies being responsible for the other bodies, Carrie struggles to believe that there could be another serial killer in their little town - what are the chances? Carrie knows what Becca is like though, and when things start happening that point the murder investigation in her direction, and items appear that look like someone is trying to frame Carrie for the murders, she finds it all too easy to believe that Becca is to blame. Does Carrie know her sister as well as she thinks she does?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Look what you made me</i> do was a surprise find that I had to read in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down. The story starts with a bang, hooking you from the start, and dragging you through a psychological thriller. There are so many parts of the story that are relateable - being the responsible sibling, helping your sibling clean up their messes (though not this literally), wondering if you are losing the plot when things aren't as they seem, and many many more. The characters of Becca and Carrie are well defined and fully developed, the little bits and pieces of their shared memories and lives bringing them to life - and while there is an element of psychology and profiling the characters avoid the cliché minefield of crime novels. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I read a lot of crime and thrillers and can get jaded with stories easily, especially if they 'fell' like other books or characters I have read - no fear of that with <i>Look what you made me do</i>. While it would be challenging to come up with another fresh take on the serial killer genre, hopefully this is not the last book we see in this vein from Murphy as it was very, very good.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><ul><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The tattoo thief</i> by Alison Belsham</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/12/when-darkness-calls-by-mark-griffin.html" target="_blank">When darkness calls</a> </i>by Mark Griffin</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i>The puppet show </i><span style="font-family: arial;">by M.W. Craven</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/the-edge-of-normal-by-carla-norton.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The edge of normal</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Carla Norton</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Every last fear</i> by Alex Finlay</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i>The liar's daughter</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Claire Allan</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="&quot" style="font-size: 16px;"><span face="&quot"><li><span face="&quot"><span face="&quot"><span><i>Gathering dark</i> by Candice Fox</span></span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/12/spare-me-truth-by-cj-carver.html" target="_blank">Spare me the truth</a></i> by C.J. Carver</span></span></li><li style="font-style: italic;"><i>The coast to coast murders </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">by James Patterson and J.D.Barker</span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><li style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><i style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"> by Ali Land</span></li></ul></div><div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-61488274592483031052021-12-28T19:21:00.039+13:002021-12-29T09:07:01.460+13:00When darkness calls by Mark Griffin<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Holly Wakefield has a routine life - splitting her time between teaching students at King's College about forensic psychology and treating patients at Wetherington Hospital. Her knowledge about forensic psychology, especially in regards to serial killers, makes her a walking encyclopedia of twisted minds - and that knowledge will soon be put to the test. When she receives a phone call from Detective Inspector Bishop, she is confused at first, until he reminds her that she volunteered to be on the crime scene call out list if they ever needed a forensic psychologist. When she arrives at the crime scene she isn't sure what to expect, in five years she has never been called upon before - but the gruesome crime scene is a shock even to Holly. <br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As she starts working on the case it is clear that her experience and knowledge of serial killers is an advantage, as she is quickly able to build a profile of the killer. It's not perfect, she can't give them a name or a face, but she is able to provide enough information for the Police to begin their search. When the murder is linked to another case, DI Bishop and Holly have to face the fact that they have their own serial killer. Balancing her work as a teacher, profiler and forensic psychologist is not easy - especially with an important date looming on the horizon for one of her favourite patients at Wetherington. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The longer Holly works on the case the more connections she see's, but not everyone agrees with her - and because forensic psychology is an art as much as a science it is not easy to convince everyone about her conclusions. They don't know it, but DI Bishop and Holly are in a race against time to stop another murder - one that will bring Holly's past into the present. Everyone has secrets, but the secrets Holly keeps are darker than most.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>When darkness calls</i> is the first book in the Holly Wakefiled thriller series. It is a perfect balance between Police procedural and forensic psychology - told from the point of view of the psychologist rather than the Police. It is a fresh take, bringing all the drama and forensic detail you expect from a crime thriller, but it brings a more human perspective and approach - especially as this is Holly's first case working with the Police. The book is well written and has a good pace, and there are little breadcrumbs throughout that hint at what is to come - a chance to test your observational skills and see if you can reach the right conclusion before the end.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There is great character development, over the course of this first book in the series we get to meet Holly and Bishop - and we get to start peeling back the layers of who they are. Holly is particularly interesting as a character because of her knowledge of serial killers and the macabre - and Bishop is interesting because of his background and limitations (no spoilers here). I look forward to reading the next book in the series - though I may have to pace myself as book four in the series isn't due to be released until next year!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><i style="font-family: arial;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i style="font-family: arial;">When I was ten</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Fiona Cummins</span></li><li><i style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li><i style="font-family: arial;">The puppet show </i><span style="font-family: arial;">by M.W. Craven</span></li><li><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/the-edge-of-normal-by-carla-norton.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><em>The edge of normal</em></span></a><span face="&quot" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Carla Norton</span></li><li><span face="&quot" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Every last fear</i> by Alex Finlay</span></li><li><i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li><li><i style="font-family: arial;">The liar's daughter</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> by Claire Allan</span></li><li><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px;"> by Ali Land</span></li><li><i style="font-family: arial;">The coast to coast murders </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">by James Patterson and J.D.Barker</span></li></ul></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-5464899772986299112021-12-26T09:09:00.001+13:002021-12-29T09:41:57.409+13:00The witch haven by Sasha Peyton Smith<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The year is 1911, and seventeen year old Frances Hallowell works as a seamstress in New York City. It is not an easy life, she works long hours, but at least she has a place to sleep and food to eat. Her days blend together under the repetitive work, but also under the black cloud of the double loss of her mother and brother. Her brother was murdered a few months before, his body dumped in the river like garbage. Their mother was already fragile, with Frances doing most of the household work, but when William died she lost her last grip on reality and is now in an asylum. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Frances knows she is lucky to have the position she does, she could be working in one of the factories where people work long hours in dangerous conditions - but that luck runs out the night the owner Mr. Hues catches her in the shop alone and assaults her. When a pair of scissors embed themselves in his neck Frances is saved, but she also becomes the prime suspect in his death - even though she never touched the scissors. Whisked out from under the nose of the Police Frances finds herself at Haxahaven Academy - and her eyes are opened to a world she never knew existed.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Haxahaven Academy is a haven for witches - girls and women of all ages who have had their magic awaken. There are clases at Haxahaven where they learn to harness their magic for simple household tasks and where they learn to control their emotions. It quickly begins to feel dull to Frances, and when a boy appears first in her dreams and then in her life, it brings a sense of excitement. Finn is like no boy she has ever met, he knows about magic and power, and he is willing to help her learn magic that is forbidden at Haxahaven. The more time Frances spends with Finn the more she learns, and the less she seems to know - and the more danger she is in. Power attracts power, and someone has plans for Frances and the power growing inside her.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The witch haven is the first book in a series and it was a whirlwind introduction to a world hidden right under our noses in historical New York. We get a gentle introduction to this new world through the eyes of Frances, and then have to quikcly tighten our seatbelts for the fast-paced thrill ride it becomes. I am all about mythology and 'logic' when it comes to magic, especially if it sits within the context of 'our' world (past, present or future) and Sasha Peyton Smith delivers. Frances and her world are easy to relate to, and everything makes sense which means it was easy to loose yourself in the story. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There are some historical facts that may be confronting - woman's suffrage and the forced removal of American Indian children from their families - but it adds to the authenticity of the story. There are other historical facts that make it more authentic, including the horrific conditions of factory workers at the time, and the way the wealthy treated the poor and the working poor. There are traces of romance in the story, the power of deep friendships, and coming of age while finding your own power - all the elements that bring a story to life and help you connect with the characters. This was a fabulous find and <i>The witch haven</i> is definitely going to go on my go-to list of recommendations for 2022.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div><ul style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Kingdom of the blazing phoenix</i> by Julie C. Dao</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><em><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-by-sarah-j.html" target="_blank">A court of thorns and roses</a></em> by Sarah J. Maas</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Girls of paper and fire</i> by Natasha Ngan</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The glass spare </i>by Lauren DeStefano</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/the-girl-of-fire-and-thorns-by-rae.html" target="_blank"><i>The girl of fire and thorns</i></a> by Rae Carson</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Not even bones</i> by Rebecca Schaeffer</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2016/03/court-of-fives-by-kate-elliott.html" style="color: #0066cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" target="_blank"><i>Court of fives</i></a><span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Kate Elliott</span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><em style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Cinder </em><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">by Marissa Meyer</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/09/warrior-of-wild-by-tricia-levenseller.html" target="_blank">Warrior of the wild</a></i> by Tricia Levenseller</span></li></ul><div style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-39070506878216561092021-08-09T17:30:00.010+12:002021-12-29T09:44:35.168+13:00Swipe right for murder by Derek Milman<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Aidan Jamison is staying at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City, waiting for his family to arrive so they can jet off together to see his aunt who has some seriously bad luck. He has had time to catch up with some of his friends from boarding school, and should be happy just hanging out on his own - but he can't resist jumping on the DirtyPaws app to see if he can find a hook up nearby. Despite his first hit being a miss, unsurprisingly Aidan finds someone in the hotel who meets his needs - a hot, older guy, named Benoit. It is a little awkward, because Benoit seems to be expecting something from Aidan beyond a quick hook up, but it turns into an enjoyable encounter - until Aidan wakes up and discovers that Benoit is dead.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Finding a dead body should be the worst thing that happens, but it looks like some of his aunts bad luck may have rubbed off on Aidan because his day quickly goes from bad to worse. He receives a mysterious phone call that threatens his family if he doesn't cooperate, that he has something they want - and for some reason they keep calling him Mr. Preston. Determined not to put his family at risk Aidan goes on the run, trying to solve the puzzle while also staying alive. His quiet trip to New York to meet up with his family is soon a distant memory, and Aidan has stumbled across something that he was never meant to see, and now might never escape.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I picked up <i>Swipe right for murder</i> for what must be one of the weirdest reasons - because I saw a review of the book that absolutely slammed it purely because Aidan is gay. That was it, the person didn't even read the whole book because they read a few chapters and discovered that Aidan was gay, and that was the end of the book for them. Knowing that just made me determined to read it and see what it was like - and I am very glad I did. One of the hallmarks of a great character is that they grow and change as their story develops, that they are changed by the people and experiences they encounter, and are able to evolve. Aidan's story is one of the better ones for showing this evolution of a person - he starts off rather shallow and self-centred, but the more time you spend with him the more you get to know him and why he is the way he is, and see what he starts developing into. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is not a simple story, there are different elements that make it difficult to categorise - crime, romance, thriller, coming of age, they are all here.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you to the random hateful person who dismissed Swipe right for murder just because it was a 'gay' novel - you encouraged me to read what turned out to be a very good book. </span></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-5384098879803572812021-08-06T09:15:00.021+12:002021-12-29T09:49:47.920+13:00The house of killers by Samantha Lee Howe<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Neva is walking death, a highly trained assassin who picks off her targets with calculated precision. She doesn't let emotion get in the way, and her skills have not gone unnoticed. Since childhood Neva has been trained and conditioned to follow her orders, to obey her handler and those above her without question and without emotion - and with her knack for disguising herself she could be right in front of you and you would never know. She is a ghost, one that has hidden in plain sight for years with no one the wiser. Michael Kensington is an MI5 operative working outside the mainstream in the Archive team. His job is to help solve puzzles, to profile suspects - and not always on the cold cases that Archive supposedly works on. One of those cold cases leads Michael to Neva, an assassin who doesn't seem to quite fit the mould.</span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When one of Neva's targets turns out to be another assassin who needs to be 'retired' it offers a glimpse into the future, and small cracks start appearing in Neva's carefully cultivated façade. Following the rules and looking obedient will keep herself, but after so many years of being a tool she is starting to awaken to other possibilities. When she breaks protocol and leaves her past behind, it is the beginning of the end for Neva. Breaking away from the Network paints a target on her back, and she has no idea how deep the conspiracy goes. When Michael stumbles across Neva and discovers who she is he discovers that she is more than just a cold blooded killer, she is also a victim of a conspiracy that has its fingers in lots of different pies. Neva just wants to break away from the Network, but they can't afford to let her go. When the team at Archive uncovers some startling connections between a cold case they are investigating and Neva, the walls start closing in for both Michael and Neva - who can they trust in a world where for some people, keeping secrets is like breathing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I stumbled across <i>The house of killers </i>in a new books list for my local public library and the blurb seemed really intriguing - especially the line about it being Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne. I tend to like my reads more at the thriller end of the crime genre, but every now and then a great blurb will tempt me to read books from the action genre and this was one of those times when I didn't regret it one bit. Samantha Lee Howe has a spare writing style, she doesn't bury you with mindless details, and keeps the action moving along at a decent pace. You get to see the world of Neva and Michael without drowning in minute details that don't really add anything - which means she is able to cover a lot of ground, and a lot of action in a 410 pages! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Howe has created a believable world for her characters, one that should appeal to readers of the genre - as well as ring true to conspiracy theorists who would no doubt state emphatically that the Network is real! The shifting perspectives between Neva and Michael are well handled and offer you a glimpse of both their lives and what they are going through, without resorting to using the 'voice of god' third person view that can get very annoying very quickly. The chapters are fast moving, and it is easy to keep up with what is happening. This was a great find, and hopefully I don't have to wait too long to get my hands on the sequels <i>Kill or die</i> and <i>Kill a spy</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Crimson Lake</i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> by Candice Fox</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-runner-by-stephen-leather.html" target="_blank"><i>The runner</i> </a>by Stephen Leather</span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-nowhere-child-by-christian-white.html" target="_blank">The nowhere child</a></i> by Christian White</li><li><i>Nine Elms </i>by Robert Bryndza</li><li><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/safe-by-sk-barnett.html" target="_blank">Safe </a></i>by S.K. Barnett</li></span></span><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><i>Kill a stranger by Simon Kernick</i></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"></span><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Orphan X</i> by Gregg Hurwitz</span></span></span></span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2015/03/breaking-creed-by-alex-kava.html" target="_blank"><i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Breaking Creed</span></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></a><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">by Alex Kava</span></span></span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The Postcard killers</span></i><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by James Patterson and Liza Marklund</span></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></span></span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-family: &quot; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/12/spare-me-truth-by-cj-carver.html" target="_blank">Spare me the truth</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by C.J. Carver</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">The killing kind </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">by Chris Holm</span></span></span></span></span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></span></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-16813114894976331672021-07-25T09:07:00.100+12:002021-08-01T09:51:17.174+12:00When you are mine by Michael Robotham<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Philomena "Phil" McCarthy has worked hard to become a police officer with the Metropolitan Police - no easy feat for the daughter of a notorious criminal. Phil fought hard to become a police officer, pushing past all the rejections and working harder than anyone else in her class to make it - and she has also cut all ties with her father, and her father's side of the family. Life isn't easy, but she has found happiness with her fiancée and his son, and she is looking forward to her wedding. That peaceful normalcy is rocked when she attends a domestic violence complaint with her partner and has to defend herself in an unorthodox fashion. Blindsided with the identity of her assailant, Phil finds herself on the outside once again, fighting for her place. Phil soon discovers that she has a connection to the victim, Tempe Brown, and an unexpected friendship develops between them.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As the friendship grows, Phil finds herself in the unusual position of needing a favour from her father - the only person who can help her keep Tempe safe. Contact with her father comes with a price though, her career with the Metropolitan Police is on shaky ground, and reconnecting with her family is not a good look. Phil has been told she is obsessed, that she needs to stop investigating Tempe's case, that she is done - but she is determined to stop the harassment that Tempe is facing. Something isn't quite right with Tempe though, she seems nervous and edgy, and she tells Phil's friends the wildest stories. Phil tries to shrug it off, Tempe is helping plan her wedding after all, but things aren't adding up. When her friends and fiancée raise questions about Tempe and her story she tries to brush it off, but she soon finds herself chasing Tempe's story down a rabbit hole that could destroy everything she has worked for.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>When you are mine</i> is a standalone novel that is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, conspiracies, betrayals and family that stands out from other books in the crime genre because of the weight of the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Phil is an interesting character to build the story around, her links to the criminal world and the her work as a police officer making her a pariah in both worlds. She is also impulsive, stubborn, and loyal - which makes her chasing the story to the end a foregone conclusion. The people in her world are also complete people with their strengths, flaws, and weaknesses and they make her world completely believable and absorbing. The theme of a young police officer standing up to a corrupt system is not a new one, but Robotham puts a very good spin on it and keeps you hooked on the story from start to finish. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/04/then-she-was-gone-by-lisa-jewell.html" target="_blank">Then she was gone </a></i>by Lisa Jewell</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>When I was ten</i> by Fiona Cummins</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The puppet show </i>by M.W. Craven</span></li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/the-edge-of-normal-by-carla-norton.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: &quot; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><em>The edge of normal</em></span></a><span face="&quot" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"> by Carla Norton</span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="font-size: 16px;"><i style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/eeny-meeny-by-mj-arlidge.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Eeny meeny</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"> by M.J. Arlidge</span></li></span></span><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The liar's daughter</i> by Claire Allan</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by Ali Land</span></span></span></span></li></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Crimson Lake</i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> by Candice Fox</span></span></li><li style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="font-size: 16px;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></div></li><li><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><i>The tattoo thief </i>by Alison Belsham</span></span></div></li><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Either side of midnight</i> by Benjamin Stevenson</span></span></span></span></span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/03/two-wrongs-by-rebecca-reid.html" target="_blank">Two wrongs</a> </i>by Rebecca Reid</span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>The coast to coast murders </i>by James Patterson and J.D.Barker</span></span></span></span></span></li></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193891776167661764.post-89053978506871724522021-07-16T10:55:00.090+12:002021-07-20T12:26:20.245+12:00Choose me by Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When Taryn Moore is found dead in the street outside her apartment after a fall from her balcony it is easy to conclude that she killed herself, a sad case of a young woman who took her own life. Detective Frances "Frankie" Loomis is not convinced, and not just because her cellphone is nowhere to be found. As she investigates the case with her partner, Frankie learns more about Taryn and her life, and the events that lead up to her death. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Taryn left her home town in Maine to study at Commonwealth University in Boston, and she has impressed a few professors in the English Department with her brilliant mind and interesting analysis of English texts. She is not as popular with some of her classmates, but she has a bright future in academia - as long as she can convince her mother to keep supporting her studies. The class where she shines the most is Professor Jack Dorian's Star-Crossed Lovers seminar. Taryn brings a spark to the class, intelligent and thoughtful debate, and Jack is more than a little taken with his star pupil - not in a romantic sense, but he is drawn to her.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As Frankie digs deeper into Taryn's life she discovers that Taryn was a complex young woman - and that there was a lot going on in her life. Liam, the boyfriend that Taryn followed to Boston had started a new relationship while on a 'break' from his relationship with her, something that Taryn doesn't take well. Her relationship with Professor Jack Dorian also proves to be more complicated than that of teacher and student - and some of her fellow students are not afraid to try and use that relationship to their own advantage. As Frankie untangles the story of Taryn's death she makes some startling discoveries that prove you never really know people - not completely.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Choose me</i> is one of those difficult books to review because talking it up requires spoiling some of the best elements of the book. It is relatively safe to say that this is an outstanding work of psychological fiction, as no one is what they seem, and victims aren't always the victims they seem. Taryn is a complex and very real person, not only in her death, but also in her life. She has depth, history, emotion, and it is all too easy to see her actions played out in real life with real people. Gerritsen and Braver have done an amazing job of creating people who fully come to life with their aspirations, histories, secrets, lies, and desires - no one is under or over done, and the conclusion is thoroughly satisfying. A great find.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like this book then try:</span></u></div></div></div><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/04/then-she-was-gone-by-lisa-jewell.html" target="_blank">Then she was gone </a></i>by Lisa Jewell</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>When I was ten</i> by Fiona Cummins</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/07/sticks-and-stones-by-katherine-firkin.html" target="_blank">Sticks and stones</a></i> by Katherine Firkin</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The other woman </i>by Sandie Jones</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2021/02/hidden-lies-by-rachel-ryan.html" target="_blank">Hidden lies</a></i> by Rachel Ryan</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>When I was ten</i> by Fiona Cummins</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2020/10/before-she-was-helen-by-caroline-b.html" target="_blank">Before she was Helen</a></i> by Caroline B. Cooney</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>All of us</i> by A.F. Carter</span></li><li><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-better-sister-by-alafair-burke.html" target="_blank">The better sister</a></i><span style="font-size: 16px;"> by Alafair Burke</span></span></div></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><i>Either side of midnight</i> by Benjamin Stevenson</span></span></span></span></span></li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><li><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i><a href="http://randomactsofreviewing.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/good-me-bad-me-by-ali-land.html" target="_blank"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Good me bad me</span></a></i><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> by Ali Land</span></span></span></span></li></span></span></span></span></ul><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reviewed by Brilla</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div>RandomReviewerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01026187626323158325noreply@blogger.com0