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What an incredible book!?!? I devoured this title in about 3 hours as I simply COULD NOT put it down. A new author for me, I was interested after catching that it was recommended by Lee Child and OMG am I glad I did. Megan Goldin surely has herself a new fan! I truly could not put this book down - kept me on the edge of my seat from page one!
The story takes us through Sara Hall's point of view, a recent MBA graduate a few months out of school and still looking for work. A random encounter in an elevator after the worst interview of her life leads her to her big chance to break into Wall Street Finance.
We also follow four executives participating in a required corporate team building exercise that has them trying to escape a locked elevator. When nerves start to flare and everyone ends up on edge, the real answers start to come out... secrets shared, faults uncovered and a murderer exposed.
HIGHLY recommended and I'll surely be back for more from this author!
The story takes us through Sara Hall's point of view, a recent MBA graduate a few months out of school and still looking for work. A random encounter in an elevator after the worst interview of her life leads her to her big chance to break into Wall Street Finance.
We also follow four executives participating in a required corporate team building exercise that has them trying to escape a locked elevator. When nerves start to flare and everyone ends up on edge, the real answers start to come out... secrets shared, faults uncovered and a murderer exposed.
HIGHLY recommended and I'll surely be back for more from this author!
Alicia S (193 KP) rated The Escape Room in Books
Nov 14, 2018
What an incredible book!!
What an incredible book!?!? I devoured this title in about 3 hours as I simply COULD NOT put it down. A new author for me, I was interested after catching that it was recommended by Lee Child and OMG am I glad I did. Megan Goldin surely has herself a new fan! I truly could not put this book down - kept me on the edge of my seat from page one!
The story takes us through Sara Hall's point of view, a recent MBA graduate a few months out of school and still looking for work. A random encounter in an elevator after the worst interview of her life leads her to her big chance to break into Wall Street Finance.
We also follow four executives participating in a required corporate team building exercise that has them trying to escape a locked elevator. When nerves start to flare and everyone ends up on edge, the real answers start to come out... secrets shared, faults uncovered and a murderer exposed.
HIGHLY recommended and I'll surely be back for more from this author!
The story takes us through Sara Hall's point of view, a recent MBA graduate a few months out of school and still looking for work. A random encounter in an elevator after the worst interview of her life leads her to her big chance to break into Wall Street Finance.
We also follow four executives participating in a required corporate team building exercise that has them trying to escape a locked elevator. When nerves start to flare and everyone ends up on edge, the real answers start to come out... secrets shared, faults uncovered and a murderer exposed.
HIGHLY recommended and I'll surely be back for more from this author!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Luckiest Girl Alive in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Ani FaNelli is engaged to a wealthy man, has a great job, and is finally about to lead the life she's always wanted. But Ani is hiding a secretive past - as a teen, she endured a traumatic event and she's kept her secrets hidden ever since. Now, as she's about to get married, Ani is struggling to contain her past and lead the life she's always wanted.
This was an interesting book - Ani is truly a despicable character in many ways, though as her past unfolds, you start to learn more about what has made Ani who she is. Her finance and her school-hood friends aren't much better. Perhaps the best thing about this book is Knoll's ability to eventually make Ani sympathetic, despite many of her faults. She's a complicated and multi-faceted character, which is a refreshing change from many novels.
The novel is suspenseful for sure, but because it was so consistently billed as the next "Gone Girl," I kept waiting for an even bigger twist, which was a bit of a letdown. I probably would have enjoyed the novel even more if I didn't have all these comparisons swirling in my head. In the end, it was a good read and certainly a fast one, but doesn't necessarily live up to its billing.
This was an interesting book - Ani is truly a despicable character in many ways, though as her past unfolds, you start to learn more about what has made Ani who she is. Her finance and her school-hood friends aren't much better. Perhaps the best thing about this book is Knoll's ability to eventually make Ani sympathetic, despite many of her faults. She's a complicated and multi-faceted character, which is a refreshing change from many novels.
The novel is suspenseful for sure, but because it was so consistently billed as the next "Gone Girl," I kept waiting for an even bigger twist, which was a bit of a letdown. I probably would have enjoyed the novel even more if I didn't have all these comparisons swirling in my head. In the end, it was a good read and certainly a fast one, but doesn't necessarily live up to its billing.
Modern (3 more)
Easy
Excellent Platform
Informational
Easy Savings
Moneybox is an extremely useful personal financial app focusing on investment. Any finance and savings 'expert' article always seems to start with the phrase 'save first and spend layer's - Moneybox adopts this method making it easier for the user to do this.
Each week, money is taken from my account and invested into a Stocks and Shares ISA where I can watch my savings grow. Not only this, you have the opportunity to purchase from your invested companies with special discount codes.
With any investment: there is always a risk. However, after a little bit of perseverance and some tweaks in investment percentages I'm now able to see a modest profit which will hopefully carry on.
Moneybox also offers different 'investment boosts'. Alongside your weekly investment amount you can also increase your investment on payday or round up your spending to the nearest pound to add this to your pot, too.
I've only had a positive experience with Moneybox up to now and I hope that this will continue. It's allowed me to set up a little personal savings pot with minimal effort. In my mid-twenties, if I ever make an investment loss, I'm happy to say that it would've been spent on something ridiculous anyway.
Each week, money is taken from my account and invested into a Stocks and Shares ISA where I can watch my savings grow. Not only this, you have the opportunity to purchase from your invested companies with special discount codes.
With any investment: there is always a risk. However, after a little bit of perseverance and some tweaks in investment percentages I'm now able to see a modest profit which will hopefully carry on.
Moneybox also offers different 'investment boosts'. Alongside your weekly investment amount you can also increase your investment on payday or round up your spending to the nearest pound to add this to your pot, too.
I've only had a positive experience with Moneybox up to now and I hope that this will continue. It's allowed me to set up a little personal savings pot with minimal effort. In my mid-twenties, if I ever make an investment loss, I'm happy to say that it would've been spent on something ridiculous anyway.
ClareR (5566 KP) rated A Bit Of A Stretch in Books
Feb 21, 2020
A UK prison diary
All hail The Pigeonhole! The app that makes me read - and enjoy - books that I would never normally even pick up. I loved this book!
Chris Atkins was sent to prison for 5 years after being involved in a dodgy tax scheme that was used to finance his films. Wandsworth was to be his home for a large part of his sentence, and this is where the book is set. Chris wrote a diary whilst he was there, and he certainly had enough to write about: drug dealers, self-harmer’s, prison officers, of the helpful, clueless and vindictive varieties, and senior officials trying to instigate some sort of reform (which ends badly, if I’m honest).
It’s a funny, and at times frustrating read. It illustrates everything that’s wrong with our prison system, which seems to be stuck in the Victorian era. We need to decide what we want our prison system to do: to simply incarcerate, or to rehabilitate. The number of people who reoffend is phenomenal - isn’t this a total waste of money? Is this really a reflection of time well served?
Anyway, I suggest everyone reads this and makes up their own minds.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to the author, Chris Atkins, for reading along.
Chris Atkins was sent to prison for 5 years after being involved in a dodgy tax scheme that was used to finance his films. Wandsworth was to be his home for a large part of his sentence, and this is where the book is set. Chris wrote a diary whilst he was there, and he certainly had enough to write about: drug dealers, self-harmer’s, prison officers, of the helpful, clueless and vindictive varieties, and senior officials trying to instigate some sort of reform (which ends badly, if I’m honest).
It’s a funny, and at times frustrating read. It illustrates everything that’s wrong with our prison system, which seems to be stuck in the Victorian era. We need to decide what we want our prison system to do: to simply incarcerate, or to rehabilitate. The number of people who reoffend is phenomenal - isn’t this a total waste of money? Is this really a reflection of time well served?
Anyway, I suggest everyone reads this and makes up their own minds.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to the author, Chris Atkins, for reading along.
Merissa (11646 KP) rated Everywhere to Hide in Books
Oct 16, 2020
Everywhere to Hide is the first book by Siri Mitchell I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is a mystery first and foremost with hint of romance. Our main character, Whitney, has face blindness so although she saw the murderer, she has no way of identifying him. First she deals with local police but then it is taken over by the FBI.
This was an intricate story with lots of jargon about cryptocurrency which, to be honest, I tended to skim over as I don't have degrees in economics and/or finance so it made my eyes glaze over. The mystery side of it I completely enjoyed. It was fascinating to see how her face blindness affected her life and the way she had to make adjustments to compensate for that.
Leo was an absolute star and I loved him. The scene-setting was wonderful and clear, giving great descriptions of where she was and how she felt. As for the whodunnit part - well, let's just say it didn't come as a surprise because my spidey-senses were tingling. More than that, I won't say so you'll just have to read it yourself.
A great mystery that I have no hesitation in recommending.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This was an intricate story with lots of jargon about cryptocurrency which, to be honest, I tended to skim over as I don't have degrees in economics and/or finance so it made my eyes glaze over. The mystery side of it I completely enjoyed. It was fascinating to see how her face blindness affected her life and the way she had to make adjustments to compensate for that.
Leo was an absolute star and I loved him. The scene-setting was wonderful and clear, giving great descriptions of where she was and how she felt. As for the whodunnit part - well, let's just say it didn't come as a surprise because my spidey-senses were tingling. More than that, I won't say so you'll just have to read it yourself.
A great mystery that I have no hesitation in recommending.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Escape Room in Books
Jul 2, 2019
This was a really fun, bizarre read that I very much enjoyed. I had no idea where it was going for much of the book, but that was totally okay. It's told in very short, quick alternating chapters between members of our elevator group and then Sara Hall herself, back when she was alive and well and working at the firm. The result is a fast-paced read, as you wonder what on earth happened to Sara, whom actually seems like a human being compared to the four others. Our four trapped analysts, however, range across various levels of despicable--liars and cheaters all devoted to making money at any cost.
Truth be told, you can only feel so sorry for them to be trapped in this elevator in the dark, at the mercy of a screen doling out clues. Once in the dark, they turn violent at times: empowered against their boss, Vincent. You realize that they've sacrificed so much for their company that they basically have nothing left on the personal front.
It's a fascinating, gripping tale of what people will do to succeed, for revenge, and what they'll do when pushed to the brink. It's a really fast read. Is it a plausible story? Probably not. Is it fun, enjoyable, and full of twists and turns? Oh yeah. I could see this one as a movie, for sure. Definitely just a thrilling read to get lost in a for a couple of hours, especially if you enjoy the dark and twisted world of finance. 4+ stars!
Truth be told, you can only feel so sorry for them to be trapped in this elevator in the dark, at the mercy of a screen doling out clues. Once in the dark, they turn violent at times: empowered against their boss, Vincent. You realize that they've sacrificed so much for their company that they basically have nothing left on the personal front.
It's a fascinating, gripping tale of what people will do to succeed, for revenge, and what they'll do when pushed to the brink. It's a really fast read. Is it a plausible story? Probably not. Is it fun, enjoyable, and full of twists and turns? Oh yeah. I could see this one as a movie, for sure. Definitely just a thrilling read to get lost in a for a couple of hours, especially if you enjoy the dark and twisted world of finance. 4+ stars!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2067 KP) rated Something Wicked in Books
May 23, 2021 (Updated May 23, 2021)
Not all the Dead Bodies on Set are Fake
Annie Lawrence and her finance, Max Darling, have landed parts in the local theater’s summer production of Arsenic and Old Lace. Annie loves the play, so she wants to be enjoying it more, but a series of pranks, growing more serious, have dampened her enthusiasm. Just days before the curtain is supposed to open, one of her fellow actors is killed backstage during the rehearsal. When Max becomes the only suspect in the eyes of the law, Annie jumps in to try to figure out what happened. Can she free Max?
As a fan of Arsenic and Old Lace (the play, which is better than the movie), I really got a kick out of the scenes involving the play. While I did enjoy the book, I’m of two minds about it. The plot is complex, yet everything makes sense when Annie confronts the villain. Yet I felt like the pacing was off. The characters are fun and provide some laughs, but instead of growing over the course of the story, they slip into caricature. The plans for Annie and Max’s wedding provide a funny sub-plot that makes me wonder just what their wedding winds up looking like. This book originally came out in 1988, so it and some of the authors name-dropped are dated, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. This is another case where the flaws are easy to spot, but I still enjoyed the book overall.
As a fan of Arsenic and Old Lace (the play, which is better than the movie), I really got a kick out of the scenes involving the play. While I did enjoy the book, I’m of two minds about it. The plot is complex, yet everything makes sense when Annie confronts the villain. Yet I felt like the pacing was off. The characters are fun and provide some laughs, but instead of growing over the course of the story, they slip into caricature. The plans for Annie and Max’s wedding provide a funny sub-plot that makes me wonder just what their wedding winds up looking like. This book originally came out in 1988, so it and some of the authors name-dropped are dated, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. This is another case where the flaws are easy to spot, but I still enjoyed the book overall.
