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Too Good To Be True
Too Good To Be True
Carola Lovering | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A compelling and twisty thriller
Skye Starling is beautiful, wealthy, and smart. She has a good job and a group of close friends. But she's never found lasting love thanks to her horrible OCD, which she's suffered from since her mother's death when she was young. But when Skye meets Burke Michaels, that all changes. Yes, he's older, but Skye can't help falling for this handsome man who wants her. However, Burke has a secret of his own: he's married, and he's using Skye for her family's money.

"All I'm saying is that if he seems too good to be true, he probably is."

This is one of those fun, twisty thrillers that keeps you reading and guessing. It's filled with wild characters and if you're willing to slightly suspend disbelief while reading, it's a great ride. Skye is a sympathetic yet enjoyable protagonist, and Burke is complex in his own way. The book is told from Skye's point of view and interspersed with letters from Burke to his therapist. We also get the perspective of Heather, a young woman, speaking from her past, who knew Burke when they were kids.

The result is quite compelling, and I blew through this one in a couple of days. The first half is probably a bit stronger than the second, though the last half certainly unveils some crazy surprises. Some you can work out; others caught me off guard.

Overall, I went into this one looking for a fun thriller, and it delivered. It also has a bit of romance thrown in, too. It's crazy and twisty and an excellent distraction. 4 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in return for an unbiased review. It releases on March 2nd.
  
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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated As I Lay Dying in Books

Oct 25, 2017 (Updated Oct 25, 2017)  
As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying
William Faulkner, Michael Gorra | 2010 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A timeless American classic
This is a classic among American literature - as with most of William Faulkner's novels, it can be hard work at times, but it is tragic, darkly funny and full of compelling characters.

It begins with the death and burial of Addie Bundren, the matriarch of the family. Members of the family narrate the story of carting the coffin to Jefferson, Mississippi, to bury her among her relatives. And as the intense desires, fears and rivalries of the family are revealed in the vernacular of the Deep South, Faulkner presents a portrait of extraordinary power.

The narrative, told from each character's perspective, yet often about the same event, left the reader to interpret the underlying motive or conflict of feelings within the Bundren family. It is intriguing but requires careful reading of the dense prose.
  
The 17th Suspect
The 17th Suspect
James Patterson, Maxine Paetro | 2018 | Mystery, Thriller
7
8.0 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I Suspect You’ll Enjoy This Book
Yuki has taken on a potentially explosive assault case in which a man is accusing his female boss of assault. Is it as straightforward as it seems? Meanwhile, Lindsay has been given a tip about someone killing the homeless in the city. Unfortunately, the killings are outside of her jurisdiction, and her efforts to investigate start an inner department skirmish. Can she figure out who is killing these people?

Fans of the series will be pleased with the latest outing. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep them reading, and the cases are both compelling. Of course, the usual weaknesses are there, including Cindy and Claire being under used and all the characters being thin. Additionally, I thought the discussion of Yuki’s case was much more graphic than it truly needed to be.
  
The Raven Tower
The Raven Tower
Ann Leckie | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
4
5.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Reading, or listening (which I did), to this novel is like hearing an anecdote from an elderly relative who often goes off on tangents and digresses only to finally reach the point much later and seemingly at random. This story was a “detective mystery” that really, really wanted to incorporate gods somehow. The plot did not really come together until the very end and the rest of the novel was not compelling enough to really keep you interested throughout. The back and forth through time and different narrations, first and second person from the same narrator, was perplexing enough to be muddled and confusing for the majority of this seemingly endless novel. The more interesting details were never really addressed or explained and the richest characters remained as background noise. I wish this book had been better.
  
WY
What You See (Jane Ryland, #4)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Reporter Jane Ryland is hoping that a freelance assignment she’s been given might be her ticket to a new job. She’s covering a stabbing in mid-day in a Boston park. However, she’s barely arrived on the scene when her sister calls with news that could lead to a family crisis. Can Jane balance the two?

Really, this book deftly blends two different plots into one compelling book. I did find it a little slow at first as it the stories build and the new characters are introduced, but once it gets going, I couldn’t put it down. Jane and her boyfriend, detective Jake Brogan, are fantastic lead characters, and it’s always great to see them back in action.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/02/book-review-what-you-see-by-hank.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.