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Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Elevator Pitch in Books

Jun 28, 2019  
Elevator Pitch
Elevator Pitch
Linwood Barclay | 2019 | Crime
7
7.6 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
Plot, writing style (0 more)
The reveal wasn't the biggest surprise, the characters aren't the most in-depth (0 more)
A nice return to U.S. crime fiction
Crime fiction is my thing. It's what I read most of, most of the time.

Over a decade ago I stopped reading crime fiction from the U.S. because I found what seemed to be a an unpleasant dwelling on the suffering of victims; a voyeurism which I found uncomfortable, and highly unpleasant. It was as though American crime writers were incapable of exploring the darkness of humanity, or giving clarity to events without relishing the pain and terror that must have been experienced by those on the receiving end of them.

Of course this was never true of all U.S. crime fiction, but I couldn't be asked to keep searching for the other kind. It was easier to just stay away from it all.

So, this is the first American crime novel I have read in nearly fifteen years.

What a joy it was. Barclay sets out a gripping thriller, an excellently plotted story which will educate you just a bit more than is comfortable on the ease of hacking lift controls in the technical age, whilst carefully leading you up and down the garden path a couple of times. The reading style is comfortable, the exposition is well paced. Eventually you arrive at a satisfying, and prompt conclusion. Barclay avoids the temptation to draw out the end like a cheerleader pulling gum, something that only works in Golden Era crime, and I always feel is out of place in otherwise fast-paced books of a more recent age.

Against this the characters have a slightly superficial feel, as though they have only been given the complexity they need for the book, and the denouement was not a huge surprise, though it was batted back and forth between two potential subjects nicely. But these really are minor complaints I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be going back and reading some more of Linwood's books on the basis of this one.
  
    Online Uganda Tv

    Online Uganda Tv

    Entertainment and News

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    App

    Online Uganda TV is a contemporary application which gives you an awesome chance to watch nearby and...

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Debbiereadsbook (1197 KP) rated Forged In Flood in Books

Jul 21, 2018  
Forged In Flood
Forged In Flood
Dahlia Donovan | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
new favourite from this author!
I had the honour of beta reading this book, so I was gifted my copy of this book.

Ten years ago, a stupid mistake nearly cost 3 young men their lives. It left them all scarred in a multitude of ways. Ivan has shut himself off from everyone, working in his beloved forge, while Rolland and Wes have taken it upon themselves to educate the youth of today on the errors of drink driving. But Wes and Rolly have had enough of waiting for Ivan, their Viking to get over his self inflicted guilt. And they choose the night of the worst flooding in living memory to make Ivan see sense.

This is NOT part of the Sin Bin series, but there are some cross-over characters, mainly Sarah and her husband Remi. You don't NEED to read them, but you SHOULD!

I loved this! I've loved almost all of Ms Donovan's work, and each and every time, the new book becomes my new favourite, and this is no exception!

Ivan makes this book, he really does. His struggle dealing with his guilt. His struggle dealing with becoming like his namesake of a father, and him not really wanting to. Dealing with the destruction of his forge and his home. Dealing with the after effects of the original accident, and a second one too.

But mainly, because watching him deal with his ever growing attraction to Wes and Rolly, and his NEED to be with them, is a joy to behold! He doesn't want it, not at first but they are persistent buggers now they have decided to pursue Ivan, rather than waiting for him to come to them.

There are some lighter moments, written only in a way Ms Donovan can. Her boys do like to play with their food and these three are no exception to that rule. I don't think I can ever look at a pot of honey in the same way, every again!

Because I read it in one sitting, because it made me cry in places, because it made me laugh out loud in others (and not many books can do that with me when I'm reading!) and just bloody well because . . . . .

5 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
    Bugs and Bubbles

    Bugs and Bubbles

    Education and Games

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    App

    • Editor's Choice Award, childrenstech.com • "This is one of the must-have apps of the year!",...