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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Broken Harbor in Books
Feb 13, 2018
The fourth book in French's excellent Dublin Murder Squad series picks up with [b:Faithful Place|7093952|Faithful Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #3)|Tana French|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1291165900s/7093952.jpg|7350661]'s Mick Kennedy. Scorcher, as he's known, is a by-the-book cop famous for his diligence, attitude, and solve rate. However, he's still trying to make amends for one case, so he's given this one - a family found in an estate in the Irish suburbs. Father Patrick and the two children are dead, while mother/wife Jenny is in critical condition at the hospital. At first, Scorcher and his rookie partner, Richie, think the case is open and shut. But they quickly discover things aren't what they seem--with the Spains themselves or the murder case. Why are there holes all over the family's home, and baby monitors and cameras everywhere? Who erased the family's computer? Why did Jenny pull their young son out of preschool? Scorcher finds himself on a case that will test his resolve and the morals he holds so dearly.
This was an superb book; I don't know how French does it, but her novels never disappoint. It's a bit slow going, but amazingly interesting. Her painstaking detail of a crime scene and murder investigation is thorough and somehow beautiful; she knows her stuff. The first person detail with Mick is a welcome relief, honestly, after the "varying POV" chapters that seem to be the method du jour lately (I know the book is a few years old, but still). Mick is a crazily complex character and hearing his innermost thoughts just adds to his depth.
I won't lie: the book is long and it's probably not for everyone. You need to be a mystery fan and not be thrown off by a main character who talks and shares a lot. There's a dynamic between Mick and his new partner that adds to this detail and character development. Further, Mick and his family have a tie to Broken Harbor (the site of the murder), which involves some flashbacks. Again, it adds length, but also to the depth of his character. Plus, the plot kept me guessing, which I really appreciated. It would have been an easy 4.5 star rating, but it dived a little with the ending and a move that seemed a bit out of character for Mick, but still - an excellent mystery with a detailed and thoughtful plot. I'm glad I've picked up French's series again and look forward to getting completely caught up.
This was an superb book; I don't know how French does it, but her novels never disappoint. It's a bit slow going, but amazingly interesting. Her painstaking detail of a crime scene and murder investigation is thorough and somehow beautiful; she knows her stuff. The first person detail with Mick is a welcome relief, honestly, after the "varying POV" chapters that seem to be the method du jour lately (I know the book is a few years old, but still). Mick is a crazily complex character and hearing his innermost thoughts just adds to his depth.
I won't lie: the book is long and it's probably not for everyone. You need to be a mystery fan and not be thrown off by a main character who talks and shares a lot. There's a dynamic between Mick and his new partner that adds to this detail and character development. Further, Mick and his family have a tie to Broken Harbor (the site of the murder), which involves some flashbacks. Again, it adds length, but also to the depth of his character. Plus, the plot kept me guessing, which I really appreciated. It would have been an easy 4.5 star rating, but it dived a little with the ending and a move that seemed a bit out of character for Mick, but still - an excellent mystery with a detailed and thoughtful plot. I'm glad I've picked up French's series again and look forward to getting completely caught up.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Tomb Raider (2018) in Movies
Mar 17, 2018
Not a bad start to this series
I have a confession to make, I have not seen the Angelina Jolie Lara Croft films, nor am I all that familiar with the video games that have spawned these movies, so it is with a fresh perspective that I judge how good (or bad) this film is.
And you know what? It's pretty good.
Starring Alicia Vikander, TOMB RAIDER is the origin story of how Lara Croft becomes a...ahem...Tomb Raider. This is the first starring role in a big "tent pole" film for her and she holds the center of the story quite well. Best known as the Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress in THE DANISH GIRL (which I feel was a consolation prize for her from the Academy as a way of apologizing for not even nominating her for her Oscar-worthy performance in EX MACHINA), TOMB RAIDER transforms Ms. Vikander into a viable action star. Her Lara Croft is not a "super-hero" who is impervious to pain, rather, she is a real person (a tough one, I'll admit) but when she gets hurt, she feels it.
Doing everything but twirling his mustache is Walton Goggins as Mathias Vogel a rival Tomb Raider looking to raid the same tomb.
Why are they looking for this tomb? Does it matter? Nope. The fun is in the journey - and what fun there is. Norwegian Director Roar Uthaug (THE WAVE) keeps the action moving swiftly, jumping from one clue to another and one stunt to another, rarely slowing down for the audience to think - and that's a good thing, because as I'm thinking about this film a day later, I'm beginning to punch some pretty big holes in the plot. But...that doesn't matter because watching Croft/Vikander get herself out of trouble is entertaining.
Also shining in this film is Daniel Wu as Lu Ren, who's father, Lu Ren, disappeared chasing the same tomb as Croft's father (Dominic West). Ren and Crofft team up to race Vogel to the tomb.
Along for the ride in smaller-ish roles - in what appears to be the first film of a series - are such stalwarts as Nick Frost (uncredited), Jaime Winstone, Derek Jacobi and Kristen ScottThomas. All of whom must have been promised larger roles in later films in this series.
A solid start to the series. I, for one, will look forward to the next tomb that Lara Croft raids.
Letter Grade B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And you know what? It's pretty good.
Starring Alicia Vikander, TOMB RAIDER is the origin story of how Lara Croft becomes a...ahem...Tomb Raider. This is the first starring role in a big "tent pole" film for her and she holds the center of the story quite well. Best known as the Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress in THE DANISH GIRL (which I feel was a consolation prize for her from the Academy as a way of apologizing for not even nominating her for her Oscar-worthy performance in EX MACHINA), TOMB RAIDER transforms Ms. Vikander into a viable action star. Her Lara Croft is not a "super-hero" who is impervious to pain, rather, she is a real person (a tough one, I'll admit) but when she gets hurt, she feels it.
Doing everything but twirling his mustache is Walton Goggins as Mathias Vogel a rival Tomb Raider looking to raid the same tomb.
Why are they looking for this tomb? Does it matter? Nope. The fun is in the journey - and what fun there is. Norwegian Director Roar Uthaug (THE WAVE) keeps the action moving swiftly, jumping from one clue to another and one stunt to another, rarely slowing down for the audience to think - and that's a good thing, because as I'm thinking about this film a day later, I'm beginning to punch some pretty big holes in the plot. But...that doesn't matter because watching Croft/Vikander get herself out of trouble is entertaining.
Also shining in this film is Daniel Wu as Lu Ren, who's father, Lu Ren, disappeared chasing the same tomb as Croft's father (Dominic West). Ren and Crofft team up to race Vogel to the tomb.
Along for the ride in smaller-ish roles - in what appears to be the first film of a series - are such stalwarts as Nick Frost (uncredited), Jaime Winstone, Derek Jacobi and Kristen ScottThomas. All of whom must have been promised larger roles in later films in this series.
A solid start to the series. I, for one, will look forward to the next tomb that Lara Croft raids.
Letter Grade B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
WOW, WOW, WOW ???
I can't even begin to explain how much I enjoyed this book ... it was so good, I didn't want it to end and I'm not one who normally reads courtroom books but I was drawn to this because of the serial killer angle .... I know, I know, I'm a little strange in my reading tastes! Don't judge me ?
Now, this is the first book I have read by this author containing Flynn and although it would have probably helped with background information to have read previous ones, I don't feel it is absolutely necessary but I will certainly be seeking them out after reading this.
Anyway, this book is basically about the murder of a starlet and her supposed lover - they were found by the husband who allegedly beat him to death with a baseball bat and stabbed her repeatedly. In comes Flynn as part of the defence team who becomes 'the' defence team following a few revelations whereby the main lawyer (who is employed by the studio) is told to withdraw. Meanwhile, someone is going to great lengths to be on the jury ... welcome to Joshua Kane, a very disturbed individual.
Flynn is a fantastic character; I adore him - so likeable and not 'up himself' like many lawyers seem to be portrayed ... he's "normal" ... well, if you can call a previous con-man with a shady history normal but it does give him a unique view of things which certainly comes in handy in his line of work.
Joshua Kane is far from normal but what a great character he is - such a good baddie!!
The supporting cast were equally as good and all had their part to play in this fantastic book.
The chapters are written alternatively between Flynn and Kane and whilst Flynn's are written in the first person, Kane's are written in the third; this was, I think, a stroke of genius as it gives different perspectives from Flynn who's trying his best for his client to Kane who is cleverly manipulating things from the jury box. The pace of the book is perfect; there's plenty of action, thrills, twists and turns that had me hooked from page one.
This is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read and one of the very few that I will read again.
Many thanks to the publisher, Orion Publishing Group, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review - thank you so much, I absolutely loved it and cannot recommend it highly enough.
I can't even begin to explain how much I enjoyed this book ... it was so good, I didn't want it to end and I'm not one who normally reads courtroom books but I was drawn to this because of the serial killer angle .... I know, I know, I'm a little strange in my reading tastes! Don't judge me ?
Now, this is the first book I have read by this author containing Flynn and although it would have probably helped with background information to have read previous ones, I don't feel it is absolutely necessary but I will certainly be seeking them out after reading this.
Anyway, this book is basically about the murder of a starlet and her supposed lover - they were found by the husband who allegedly beat him to death with a baseball bat and stabbed her repeatedly. In comes Flynn as part of the defence team who becomes 'the' defence team following a few revelations whereby the main lawyer (who is employed by the studio) is told to withdraw. Meanwhile, someone is going to great lengths to be on the jury ... welcome to Joshua Kane, a very disturbed individual.
Flynn is a fantastic character; I adore him - so likeable and not 'up himself' like many lawyers seem to be portrayed ... he's "normal" ... well, if you can call a previous con-man with a shady history normal but it does give him a unique view of things which certainly comes in handy in his line of work.
Joshua Kane is far from normal but what a great character he is - such a good baddie!!
The supporting cast were equally as good and all had their part to play in this fantastic book.
The chapters are written alternatively between Flynn and Kane and whilst Flynn's are written in the first person, Kane's are written in the third; this was, I think, a stroke of genius as it gives different perspectives from Flynn who's trying his best for his client to Kane who is cleverly manipulating things from the jury box. The pace of the book is perfect; there's plenty of action, thrills, twists and turns that had me hooked from page one.
This is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read and one of the very few that I will read again.
Many thanks to the publisher, Orion Publishing Group, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review - thank you so much, I absolutely loved it and cannot recommend it highly enough.
Merissa (11961 KP) rated Hall Pass For Life in Books
Oct 16, 2018
Hall Pass For Life by Dorothea Lynne
Hall Pass for Life is the first book by Dorothea Lynne I have read. This is a contemporary romance with dark theme - a young woman trapped in a loveless marriage to an older man. Although he is happy to have multiple affairs during their marriage, he is insistent upon controlling every aspect of her. This doesn't stop him from arranging for a week's getaway for her with a younger man so he can have his mistress in their home.
Thea has turned forty and has no idea where her life is going. Her husband, Malcolm, won't allow her to work, constantly criticises her, and yet isn't prepared to divorce her just yet - even though is far too old for his tastes. Liam is a singer and is 25 years old. He isn't sure what to make of the arrangement, but for the amount of money being given to a charity, he will be friendly for the week.
Both Thea and Liam get more than they bargain for, and will fight for their lives together, no matter what Malcolm throws at them.
I loved the premise of this story, although I don't particularly like first person, present tense, which is how this book is written. I found it to be quite confusing over who was speaking in places, and had to read further down to see who responded to figure it out. Personally speaking, I also found the constant nicknames and terms of endearments to be quite monotonous. Yes, it is cute occasionally, but to use them in 85% of the sentences... The only reason I can think of for the constant use was to help the reader know who was talking, which didn't work when they weren't used.
The story itself moved along at a fair pace, albeit a bit jerky in places. Some of the words and actions of various characters didn't seem quite 'real', as though the timing was off slightly. I think this is a standalone book, although the ending has possibly been left open for a follow up.
Anyway, for me, this book didn't quite hit the mark, although it was still a good story. I am absolutely positive that others will love this book, and devour every word. It just didn't work on all levels for me.
* 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!
Thea has turned forty and has no idea where her life is going. Her husband, Malcolm, won't allow her to work, constantly criticises her, and yet isn't prepared to divorce her just yet - even though is far too old for his tastes. Liam is a singer and is 25 years old. He isn't sure what to make of the arrangement, but for the amount of money being given to a charity, he will be friendly for the week.
Both Thea and Liam get more than they bargain for, and will fight for their lives together, no matter what Malcolm throws at them.
I loved the premise of this story, although I don't particularly like first person, present tense, which is how this book is written. I found it to be quite confusing over who was speaking in places, and had to read further down to see who responded to figure it out. Personally speaking, I also found the constant nicknames and terms of endearments to be quite monotonous. Yes, it is cute occasionally, but to use them in 85% of the sentences... The only reason I can think of for the constant use was to help the reader know who was talking, which didn't work when they weren't used.
The story itself moved along at a fair pace, albeit a bit jerky in places. Some of the words and actions of various characters didn't seem quite 'real', as though the timing was off slightly. I think this is a standalone book, although the ending has possibly been left open for a follow up.
Anyway, for me, this book didn't quite hit the mark, although it was still a good story. I am absolutely positive that others will love this book, and devour every word. It just didn't work on all levels for me.
* 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!
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
When we last saw John Wick (Keanue Reeves), the former elite assassin had just completed a bloody and brutal mission of revenge after being pulled
back into a world he risked everything to leave behind. In “John Wick: Chapter 2”, the film picks up with Wick tying off some loose ends from the
first film and then returning to his home to finally find peace and leave his old life behind forever.
Sadly, a marker from his past is called in and John is not so subtly reminded of the consequences of failing to repay a marker, and is tasked with a no win situation.
John soon finds himself in Rome where he must eliminate a person of position despite having no real reason to do so other than to repay his debt. The fact that he knows his target is an even more of a challenge for him to contend with.
As if this was not bad enough, John upon completing his task is soon double crossed and finds that a bounty of 7 million dollars has been placed on him, and he know has every assassin in the greater New York area gunning for him.
The film maintains the frantic and breathlessly intense and sustained combat of the first film without ever being stale or repetitive. Guns, knives, and other implements all became part of a symphony of violence and destruction that is captivating to watch.
The film also goes deeper into the characters around John and the world in which he lives such as Winston (Ian McShane), who runs the Continental Hotel where rules for conduct are set, and those in John’s line of work find refuge and supplies for their “work”.
The film is one of the rare sequels that is as good if not better than the original and sets up a third outing very well. Reeves owns the character and you can sense his conflict as one who wants to leave his past behind but who cannot escape his past.
The very physical and demanding nature of the part shows the passion he has for the character and watching the fury and smoothness of how he dispatches his foes really underscores that this is pretty much everything you would want in an action film and more.
The very satisfying action sequences and performances combine well to make a compelling, exciting, and highly entertaining adrenaline rush, and I cannot wait to see what they come up with for the next outing.
http://sknr.net/2017/02/09/john-wick-chapter-2/
back into a world he risked everything to leave behind. In “John Wick: Chapter 2”, the film picks up with Wick tying off some loose ends from the
first film and then returning to his home to finally find peace and leave his old life behind forever.
Sadly, a marker from his past is called in and John is not so subtly reminded of the consequences of failing to repay a marker, and is tasked with a no win situation.
John soon finds himself in Rome where he must eliminate a person of position despite having no real reason to do so other than to repay his debt. The fact that he knows his target is an even more of a challenge for him to contend with.
As if this was not bad enough, John upon completing his task is soon double crossed and finds that a bounty of 7 million dollars has been placed on him, and he know has every assassin in the greater New York area gunning for him.
The film maintains the frantic and breathlessly intense and sustained combat of the first film without ever being stale or repetitive. Guns, knives, and other implements all became part of a symphony of violence and destruction that is captivating to watch.
The film also goes deeper into the characters around John and the world in which he lives such as Winston (Ian McShane), who runs the Continental Hotel where rules for conduct are set, and those in John’s line of work find refuge and supplies for their “work”.
The film is one of the rare sequels that is as good if not better than the original and sets up a third outing very well. Reeves owns the character and you can sense his conflict as one who wants to leave his past behind but who cannot escape his past.
The very physical and demanding nature of the part shows the passion he has for the character and watching the fury and smoothness of how he dispatches his foes really underscores that this is pretty much everything you would want in an action film and more.
The very satisfying action sequences and performances combine well to make a compelling, exciting, and highly entertaining adrenaline rush, and I cannot wait to see what they come up with for the next outing.
http://sknr.net/2017/02/09/john-wick-chapter-2/
Darren (1599 KP) rated Within (2016) in Movies
Oct 24, 2019
Characters – John is the father of the house, we know he has been on hard times and this house is all he can afford for his family. He does love both his wife and daughter and is trying to teach his daughter a lesson after her mistakes have led them to this location. Hannah is his daughter of John that has been getting herself in trouble which caused the move, she is grounded and is the first one to notice the strange events around the house. Melanie is the new wife and step-mother to Hannah, she doesn’t do much beyond the normal, which is mostly trying to be the best friend in her time of need. Ray is the creepy neighbour that offers to help change the locks, less we say about him the better.
Performances – When we look at the performances in this film we must be praising Erin Moriarty as she is excellent in her role, the weaknesses come from the parental characters, Michael Vartan and Nadine Velazquez who both don’t seem to do much with their roles in the film.
Story – The story here follows the family that move into a new home only to start seeing strange things happening and we fall in the, ‘creepy person living in the attic’ sub-genre, which is one that I feel is getting tiresome, there is only so much you can do while telling this story and if we are being honest we have seen it done on better levels before. The build up follows the checklist and by the end of the film the story just feels like it is trying to hard to be different, rather than good.
Horror – The horror in the film comes from the idea that someone could be living in your house, it is an easy idea for because being haunted in your own home should be working, though this misses the tension required for the film.
Settings – The film is set entirely inside the one house, which is all we need as this keeps the film contained for the maximum levels of horror, even if they don’t use it well.
Special Effects – The effects for the most part are good with the kills looking extra brutal when they hit.
Scene of the Movie – The first meeting of David.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We have seen this too much.
Final Thoughts – This is a by the books horror that doesn’t test the audience enough, it has an easy out which doesn’t get used at all, though the killer does look creepy throughout.
Overall: Been here seen this.
Performances – When we look at the performances in this film we must be praising Erin Moriarty as she is excellent in her role, the weaknesses come from the parental characters, Michael Vartan and Nadine Velazquez who both don’t seem to do much with their roles in the film.
Story – The story here follows the family that move into a new home only to start seeing strange things happening and we fall in the, ‘creepy person living in the attic’ sub-genre, which is one that I feel is getting tiresome, there is only so much you can do while telling this story and if we are being honest we have seen it done on better levels before. The build up follows the checklist and by the end of the film the story just feels like it is trying to hard to be different, rather than good.
Horror – The horror in the film comes from the idea that someone could be living in your house, it is an easy idea for because being haunted in your own home should be working, though this misses the tension required for the film.
Settings – The film is set entirely inside the one house, which is all we need as this keeps the film contained for the maximum levels of horror, even if they don’t use it well.
Special Effects – The effects for the most part are good with the kills looking extra brutal when they hit.
Scene of the Movie – The first meeting of David.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We have seen this too much.
Final Thoughts – This is a by the books horror that doesn’t test the audience enough, it has an easy out which doesn’t get used at all, though the killer does look creepy throughout.
Overall: Been here seen this.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Way You Make Me Feel in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
I <em>loved</em> Maurene Goo's previous novel, <em>I Believe In A Thing Called Love</em>, so when I got an email from Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read Goo's latest novel because I knew I wouldn't be disappointed with a cute contemporary novel. (I also jumped at the chance to be on the blog tour, because oh my goodness, cute books will be shoved at the world. #sorrynotsorry)
<em>The Way You Make Me Feel</em> does <em>not</em> disappoint in levels of cuteness. Goo's latest novel follows Clara, who is introduced as the class clown, committing pranks and causing mischief since early on in her high school career. She especially likes making life difficult for her classmate Rose, the person she got her in trouble in the first place. Clara takes her pranks too far one day and it results in an entire summer stuck with Rose.
Clara is an... interesting character. She was a little hard to like at first, but over the course of the novel, Clara grew on me. She is sassy, carefree and gets in trouble... A LOT. She's also a little rebellious.
I think my favorite part, however, is the <em>food</em>. Food is an important part of the story, and I think my mouth watered while reading the book. Clara's dad owns a food truck called KoBra, which takes Korean and Brazillian cuisine. Both Clara and Rose work the food truck during the summer, where they are forced to get along with each other. they eventually develop a friendship, and I enjoyed seeing them grow from enemies to friends. (This is probably when I started liking Clara a <em>lot</em> as a character. Maybe it's just me and my opinions.)
The side characters of <em>The Way You Make Me Feel</em> are my favorite characters - I love Hamlet (this is a wonderful name as much as the play is wonderful) and his grandparents, who are adorable and cute and funny, as much as I grew to love Clara, Rose and the rest of the characters.
If you're looking for a cute contemporary read that is bound to make you hungry, <em>The Way You Make Me Feel</em> is the perfect novel.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-the-way-you-make-me-feel-by-maurene-goo-arc-review-playlist/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I <em>loved</em> Maurene Goo's previous novel, <em>I Believe In A Thing Called Love</em>, so when I got an email from Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read Goo's latest novel because I knew I wouldn't be disappointed with a cute contemporary novel. (I also jumped at the chance to be on the blog tour, because oh my goodness, cute books will be shoved at the world. #sorrynotsorry)
<em>The Way You Make Me Feel</em> does <em>not</em> disappoint in levels of cuteness. Goo's latest novel follows Clara, who is introduced as the class clown, committing pranks and causing mischief since early on in her high school career. She especially likes making life difficult for her classmate Rose, the person she got her in trouble in the first place. Clara takes her pranks too far one day and it results in an entire summer stuck with Rose.
Clara is an... interesting character. She was a little hard to like at first, but over the course of the novel, Clara grew on me. She is sassy, carefree and gets in trouble... A LOT. She's also a little rebellious.
I think my favorite part, however, is the <em>food</em>. Food is an important part of the story, and I think my mouth watered while reading the book. Clara's dad owns a food truck called KoBra, which takes Korean and Brazillian cuisine. Both Clara and Rose work the food truck during the summer, where they are forced to get along with each other. they eventually develop a friendship, and I enjoyed seeing them grow from enemies to friends. (This is probably when I started liking Clara a <em>lot</em> as a character. Maybe it's just me and my opinions.)
The side characters of <em>The Way You Make Me Feel</em> are my favorite characters - I love Hamlet (this is a wonderful name as much as the play is wonderful) and his grandparents, who are adorable and cute and funny, as much as I grew to love Clara, Rose and the rest of the characters.
If you're looking for a cute contemporary read that is bound to make you hungry, <em>The Way You Make Me Feel</em> is the perfect novel.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-the-way-you-make-me-feel-by-maurene-goo-arc-review-playlist/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Merissa (11961 KP) rated Virgin Flyer in Books
Mar 2, 2020
Virgin Flyer is a standalone novel by the amazing Lucy Lennox. I found her through her Made Marion series and have never looked back. I love her writing style, the characters, the warmth and depth of the stories... I could go on but I won't. Instead, I will curb my enthusiasm and try to tell you in an orderly fashion just why I enjoyed this book so much.
First things first. Chris is a jerk. He starts off a jerk and *spoiler* he remains one throughout. He has his moments but trust me when I say they are few and far between. Secondly, Teo is sweet! We're talking super-saccharine, jaw-achingly sweet. But the best part is - you love him that way!!! I can't (and don't want to) imagine him any other way. And Jack. Oh, Jack! Now here's someone who could fly me to the moon (if I was the opposite gender, he wasn't with Teo, OH, and if he wasn't also an imaginary character!) The perfect fit for Teo, they just have to see it.
Now - what about the story? It's good. Like, really good. Teo has been pining over Chris for years and just can't see him as the person others see. When Teo eventually decides enough is enough, he puts an ad out there for all to see and is lucky enough to entice Jack. Jack is curious about the ad and, to start with, is more than happy to go along with the requirements. It is months after that they both meet again and then we really fly. There is nothing in this story that is superfluous. Everything moves either the story or the character along and I loved every word of it.
The world-building is certainly clear for all to see, with familial ties playing a big part of the story. The characters behave as you would expect, no 'funny' turns where they act in a way you wouldn't believe. The pacing is smooth and the words themselves will keep you turning the pages without any hesitation.
As an aside, I loved it when Frankfurt and Wiesbaden were mentioned as they are only just down the road from where I live! A one-sit read for me and highly recommended.
* 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!
First things first. Chris is a jerk. He starts off a jerk and *spoiler* he remains one throughout. He has his moments but trust me when I say they are few and far between. Secondly, Teo is sweet! We're talking super-saccharine, jaw-achingly sweet. But the best part is - you love him that way!!! I can't (and don't want to) imagine him any other way. And Jack. Oh, Jack! Now here's someone who could fly me to the moon (if I was the opposite gender, he wasn't with Teo, OH, and if he wasn't also an imaginary character!) The perfect fit for Teo, they just have to see it.
Now - what about the story? It's good. Like, really good. Teo has been pining over Chris for years and just can't see him as the person others see. When Teo eventually decides enough is enough, he puts an ad out there for all to see and is lucky enough to entice Jack. Jack is curious about the ad and, to start with, is more than happy to go along with the requirements. It is months after that they both meet again and then we really fly. There is nothing in this story that is superfluous. Everything moves either the story or the character along and I loved every word of it.
The world-building is certainly clear for all to see, with familial ties playing a big part of the story. The characters behave as you would expect, no 'funny' turns where they act in a way you wouldn't believe. The pacing is smooth and the words themselves will keep you turning the pages without any hesitation.
As an aside, I loved it when Frankfurt and Wiesbaden were mentioned as they are only just down the road from where I live! A one-sit read for me and highly recommended.
* 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!
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