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Midge (525 KP) rated The East End in Books
May 8, 2019
A Brilliant Début!
My word, how exciting and enthralling was this début novel by newcomer Jason Allen?!
Being honest, I went into The East End without much enthusiasm, thinking “Oh well, yet another novel about dysfunctional behaviour and taking drugs.” (Huge sigh). But if I had continued with that line of thought and not read The East End, I would have missed out on so much as it turned out to be one of the best reads of the year, so far.
I was immediately blown away by all of the drama, from page one. Yes, there was some drug-taking - well a lot actually - however, it was absolutely essential to the story-line.
The book opens with a break-in. Living with his mum, Gina, in the Hamptons, Corey Halpern has just graduated from high school and Gina is employed as a housekeeper for billionaire Leo Sheffield. Full of angst towards the filthy rich, Corey spends much of his time breaking into their homes, not to steal but to play pranks on them. He decides to break into the Sheffield mansion which is home to Leo, wife Sheila and teenage daughter, Tiffany and witnesses something he wished he had not. But what will he choose to do next?
The East End was told from several different perspectives which is normally something I am not too fond of, however, Jason Allen achieved this admirably and without any confusion for me.
The characters that Jason Allen created were so well drawn it was almost unbelievable. I felt that I was part of the unfolding drama with every chapter, as I found myself shouting out advice to the particular character who was facing their latest dilemma. I found it difficult to choose a favourite character so I opted for three of them - Leo, Gina and Angelique. Leo, I felt huge sadness for, as he was so down on his luck, though he did habitually make a lot of bad choices. I had so much empathy with Gina and who could not adore Angelique? She was so feisty, gutsy and full of hope despite her start in life.
The emotional complexity of the story was definitely one of the highlights of The East End and I loved the tenderness between Corey and Angelique.
Jason Allen’s writing style was very unique. There were longer paragraphs of narrative and less dialogue in this book than I’m used to, however, the plot was so engrossing that it didn’t prevent me from loving the story.
This book has everything from secrets, love and family to addiction, scandal, desperation, tragedy and greed. The plot was presented in the form of a slow-burning mystery with underlying themes of class, social structure and discrimination packaged as a family drama but with added comedic aspect.
The ending was a surprise and, for me, very fitting and fulfilling. All in all, I found this book to be a fantastic and very worthwhile read and I look forward to reading more from Jason Allen.
Thanks to NetGalley, Park Row Books and the author, Jason Allen for my complimentary ARC of The East End. My honest review is entirely voluntary.
My review will be published on my blog, Brianne’s Book Reviews on May 8, 2019.
Being honest, I went into The East End without much enthusiasm, thinking “Oh well, yet another novel about dysfunctional behaviour and taking drugs.” (Huge sigh). But if I had continued with that line of thought and not read The East End, I would have missed out on so much as it turned out to be one of the best reads of the year, so far.
I was immediately blown away by all of the drama, from page one. Yes, there was some drug-taking - well a lot actually - however, it was absolutely essential to the story-line.
The book opens with a break-in. Living with his mum, Gina, in the Hamptons, Corey Halpern has just graduated from high school and Gina is employed as a housekeeper for billionaire Leo Sheffield. Full of angst towards the filthy rich, Corey spends much of his time breaking into their homes, not to steal but to play pranks on them. He decides to break into the Sheffield mansion which is home to Leo, wife Sheila and teenage daughter, Tiffany and witnesses something he wished he had not. But what will he choose to do next?
The East End was told from several different perspectives which is normally something I am not too fond of, however, Jason Allen achieved this admirably and without any confusion for me.
The characters that Jason Allen created were so well drawn it was almost unbelievable. I felt that I was part of the unfolding drama with every chapter, as I found myself shouting out advice to the particular character who was facing their latest dilemma. I found it difficult to choose a favourite character so I opted for three of them - Leo, Gina and Angelique. Leo, I felt huge sadness for, as he was so down on his luck, though he did habitually make a lot of bad choices. I had so much empathy with Gina and who could not adore Angelique? She was so feisty, gutsy and full of hope despite her start in life.
The emotional complexity of the story was definitely one of the highlights of The East End and I loved the tenderness between Corey and Angelique.
Jason Allen’s writing style was very unique. There were longer paragraphs of narrative and less dialogue in this book than I’m used to, however, the plot was so engrossing that it didn’t prevent me from loving the story.
This book has everything from secrets, love and family to addiction, scandal, desperation, tragedy and greed. The plot was presented in the form of a slow-burning mystery with underlying themes of class, social structure and discrimination packaged as a family drama but with added comedic aspect.
The ending was a surprise and, for me, very fitting and fulfilling. All in all, I found this book to be a fantastic and very worthwhile read and I look forward to reading more from Jason Allen.
Thanks to NetGalley, Park Row Books and the author, Jason Allen for my complimentary ARC of The East End. My honest review is entirely voluntary.
My review will be published on my blog, Brianne’s Book Reviews on May 8, 2019.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Pan (Neverland, #1) in Books
May 21, 2019
Fresh take on a beloved faery tale
I bought this book as part of #IndieApril. Unfortunately, my Advanced Reader Copy schedule was too tight, so I wasn’t able to read any of the books I bought until May. As you all know, my the last IndieApril book didn’t impress me, so I figured I would read something by an author that I’ve been dying to read.
Not going to lie, I’ve always wanted to read Gina L. Maxwell simply because she is fantastic to follow on Twitter. She engages with readers and is just so much fun to follow (seriously, you need to follow her @Gina_L_Maxwell). Even though I love her tweets, I was nervous to read one of her books. It’s like that moment when you meet a celebrity, you never know if they’re going to be what you expect or be a disappointment. Well, I can now say that Gina’s writing is perfect. I’m judging myself for taking this long to read one of her books.
Pan is one of my favorite books this year. It’s fun, bright, and the banter was phenomenal. I couldn’t help but swoon after Peter, want to be best friends with Wendy, and at times smack Tinkerbell. It was just perfect. I loved that this was a fresh take on Peter Pan that features no magic. Seriously, the only magic in this book is what Peter can do in the bedroom. Peter is a mechanic, that is sure to make you look at your mechanic differently. Every character that you loved in the original fairytale is in this book. Gina really brought together the aspects of the classic novel and intertwined them into a new unique take. There are so many callbacks to the classic that many Peter Pan fans will squee in enjoyment.
As you all know by now, I’m a sucker for good characters, and this book doesn’t disappoint. Each character is well written. They are not flawless, which makes the story more believable. I loved the chemistry between all of the characters. You can see the love between the Lost Boys, Tinkerbell, and Peter, which was really lovely to see.
The relationship between Wendy & Peter was beautiful to watch. I genuinely enjoyed watching them fall in love in both the past and the present. Seeing how each of them grew up was fascinating and incredibly well written. I also liked learning more about the relationship between Peter and Hook. They’re so similar yet different. I cannot wait to learn more about Hook in the next book! I hope that the comradery and differences are explored.
All in all, this was such a fun read. Gina L. Maxwell was able to put a fresh take on a beloved fairytale. It was steamy, and so much fun! I highly recommend this to any romance reader. Even if you’re not a fan of Peter Pan, this fresh take will make you fall in love.
Not going to lie, I’ve always wanted to read Gina L. Maxwell simply because she is fantastic to follow on Twitter. She engages with readers and is just so much fun to follow (seriously, you need to follow her @Gina_L_Maxwell). Even though I love her tweets, I was nervous to read one of her books. It’s like that moment when you meet a celebrity, you never know if they’re going to be what you expect or be a disappointment. Well, I can now say that Gina’s writing is perfect. I’m judging myself for taking this long to read one of her books.
Pan is one of my favorite books this year. It’s fun, bright, and the banter was phenomenal. I couldn’t help but swoon after Peter, want to be best friends with Wendy, and at times smack Tinkerbell. It was just perfect. I loved that this was a fresh take on Peter Pan that features no magic. Seriously, the only magic in this book is what Peter can do in the bedroom. Peter is a mechanic, that is sure to make you look at your mechanic differently. Every character that you loved in the original fairytale is in this book. Gina really brought together the aspects of the classic novel and intertwined them into a new unique take. There are so many callbacks to the classic that many Peter Pan fans will squee in enjoyment.
As you all know by now, I’m a sucker for good characters, and this book doesn’t disappoint. Each character is well written. They are not flawless, which makes the story more believable. I loved the chemistry between all of the characters. You can see the love between the Lost Boys, Tinkerbell, and Peter, which was really lovely to see.
The relationship between Wendy & Peter was beautiful to watch. I genuinely enjoyed watching them fall in love in both the past and the present. Seeing how each of them grew up was fascinating and incredibly well written. I also liked learning more about the relationship between Peter and Hook. They’re so similar yet different. I cannot wait to learn more about Hook in the next book! I hope that the comradery and differences are explored.
All in all, this was such a fun read. Gina L. Maxwell was able to put a fresh take on a beloved fairytale. It was steamy, and so much fun! I highly recommend this to any romance reader. Even if you’re not a fan of Peter Pan, this fresh take will make you fall in love.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Haywire (2012) in Movies
Feb 20, 2018 (Updated Feb 20, 2018)
'You should not think of her as a woman. That would be a mistake.'
Rousing action thriller looks on paper like another Besson movie, is actually typically classy Steven Soderbergh genre pastiche. Basically a vehicle for delicate flower of women's MMA Gina Carano to batter the living daylights out of an array of A-list leading men, which she does with aplomb and charisma.
The script is sympathetically structured so Carano doesn't have to do more than the minimal amount of actual acting, but the plot is competently twisty-turny and Soderbergh puts an impressive cast around his star. Some first-class fight sequences and chases, as you would expect. At the time I had my fingers crossed for a new subgenre of pro-celebrity martial arts movies with Carano proceeding to kick in Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Ryan Reynolds, etc, in subsequent outings, but it never happened. Shame; notable careers have been built on considerably less potential than Carano showed in this film.
The script is sympathetically structured so Carano doesn't have to do more than the minimal amount of actual acting, but the plot is competently twisty-turny and Soderbergh puts an impressive cast around his star. Some first-class fight sequences and chases, as you would expect. At the time I had my fingers crossed for a new subgenre of pro-celebrity martial arts movies with Carano proceeding to kick in Jude Law, Orlando Bloom, Ryan Reynolds, etc, in subsequent outings, but it never happened. Shame; notable careers have been built on considerably less potential than Carano showed in this film.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Hook in Books
Nov 11, 2019
Characters (1 more)
Action Packed
Heartbreaking & beautiful.
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, Murder, Abuse, Angst, Drug Use
As many of you know, I've been waiting anxiously for Hook to come out! I was one of the lucky bloggers that Gina gave a copy to in exchange for an honest review. I read Pan earlier this year and fell completely head over heels for Gina's writing, and I've been shoving Pan down everyone's throats because it is that amazing! Now, full disclosure, I have only read one other M/M romance, so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to fly into Neverland again.
I built Hook up in my head so much that at times I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, Hook was everything I wanted and more. This book follows Hook & John's story. The chemistry between them was out of this world. It was fun to see the anger, the angst, and the fire between the two of them. The characters as always were well written and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed, I cried, and I had to put my book down a few times, so I didn't throw my kindle.
The plotline was one of the shining stars of this book. It was action-packed, intense, and extremely engaging. I never wanted to put the book down, yet I enjoyed it so much I never wanted it to end. I loved the undercover aspect of the book, and it makes me want to reread some of my favorite romantic suspense. I was always on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see how everything unfolded.
All in all, I LOVED this book. It lived up to the hype that I had in my head, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series when it comes out. If you enjoy angst-filled bad boys with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Gina truly knows how to write angst in a way that everyone can enjoy.
As many of you know, I've been waiting anxiously for Hook to come out! I was one of the lucky bloggers that Gina gave a copy to in exchange for an honest review. I read Pan earlier this year and fell completely head over heels for Gina's writing, and I've been shoving Pan down everyone's throats because it is that amazing! Now, full disclosure, I have only read one other M/M romance, so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to fly into Neverland again.
I built Hook up in my head so much that at times I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, Hook was everything I wanted and more. This book follows Hook & John's story. The chemistry between them was out of this world. It was fun to see the anger, the angst, and the fire between the two of them. The characters as always were well written and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed, I cried, and I had to put my book down a few times, so I didn't throw my kindle.
The plotline was one of the shining stars of this book. It was action-packed, intense, and extremely engaging. I never wanted to put the book down, yet I enjoyed it so much I never wanted it to end. I loved the undercover aspect of the book, and it makes me want to reread some of my favorite romantic suspense. I was always on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to see how everything unfolded.
All in all, I LOVED this book. It lived up to the hype that I had in my head, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series when it comes out. If you enjoy angst-filled bad boys with a heart of gold, this is the book for you. Gina truly knows how to write angst in a way that everyone can enjoy.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2091 KP) rated Bear Witness to Murder in Books
May 30, 2018
Oktobearfest is Off to a Murderous Start
It’s October, and the town of Silver Hollow is getting ready for their Oktobearfest, a teddy bear themed Oktoberfest event for the entire family. Things are kicking off with a kid and teddy bear friendly tea that Sasha Silverman is helping with. She’s trying to avoid her high school nemesis, Holly Parker, when Holly’s assistant Gina interrupts the tea to announce she is suing the mayor. The next morning, Sasha finds a dead body. Despite vowing to stay out of it, she finds herself pulled into the investigation. Will she learn the truth?
There is a lot going on here, and it really pulled me into the story. I finished the book in just a couple of days, in fact. I kept switching what I thought was going on, but when we reached the climax, everything made perfect sense. I did catch a major timeline issue, however, something that always annoys me. The main characters, both series regulars and suspects, are strong and really drew me into the story as well.
There is a lot going on here, and it really pulled me into the story. I finished the book in just a couple of days, in fact. I kept switching what I thought was going on, but when we reached the climax, everything made perfect sense. I did catch a major timeline issue, however, something that always annoys me. The main characters, both series regulars and suspects, are strong and really drew me into the story as well.
JT (287 KP) rated Haywire (2012) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
With all the acting talent that was on offer in this film how could Soderbergh give us such an overrated pile of rubbish and waste said talent in an instant. Thank the lord I didn’t purchase this on Blu-ray as I was originally intending to; otherwise it would have been in the box and back to the shop the following day.
There is nothing wrong with casting a female in the lead role for an action film, it worked for Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider, Wanted and Salt. Here though, Gina Carano, who had no acting talent at all and came from a Muay Thai background meant she would need little training in the fight choreography, but lots in the acting department. It was clear then that no one directed her to that department. Sharing the screen with the likes of Fassbender, Douglas, and McGregor she was well out of place.
Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) is a black ops soldier who has been double crossed and is now out for revenge. The plot that is so overdone it is boring with nothing new to offer at all. The film is told from Kane’s point of view to Scott (Michael Angarano), a customer in the diner who she escapes with. Looking at Soderbergh’s back catalogue he’s never really tackled a high octane action flick, and it shows right from the outset. The fight scenes are powerful and well put together but then I’m sure that is down to Carano’s skill and experience as a real life fighter.
Soderbergh tries to make it too slick and too involved. When all we are begging for is a decent car chase or explosion, something to get us off our seats and fist pump the air. This doesn’t happen, even if she does dispatch Fassbender with ease or leaves poor Channing Tatum with a broken arm.
The cast list is admirable, but in their own way they are used sparingly. Douglas’s government agent gets a little screen time, as does the shady contact Antonio Banderas who, like Douglas, is only around for a short space of time. The less said about McGregor the better as quite frankly he was crap! I personally didn’t rate this at all. Soderbergh is a good director but his foray into action was a bit of a let down and a great disappointment.
There is nothing wrong with casting a female in the lead role for an action film, it worked for Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider, Wanted and Salt. Here though, Gina Carano, who had no acting talent at all and came from a Muay Thai background meant she would need little training in the fight choreography, but lots in the acting department. It was clear then that no one directed her to that department. Sharing the screen with the likes of Fassbender, Douglas, and McGregor she was well out of place.
Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) is a black ops soldier who has been double crossed and is now out for revenge. The plot that is so overdone it is boring with nothing new to offer at all. The film is told from Kane’s point of view to Scott (Michael Angarano), a customer in the diner who she escapes with. Looking at Soderbergh’s back catalogue he’s never really tackled a high octane action flick, and it shows right from the outset. The fight scenes are powerful and well put together but then I’m sure that is down to Carano’s skill and experience as a real life fighter.
Soderbergh tries to make it too slick and too involved. When all we are begging for is a decent car chase or explosion, something to get us off our seats and fist pump the air. This doesn’t happen, even if she does dispatch Fassbender with ease or leaves poor Channing Tatum with a broken arm.
The cast list is admirable, but in their own way they are used sparingly. Douglas’s government agent gets a little screen time, as does the shady contact Antonio Banderas who, like Douglas, is only around for a short space of time. The less said about McGregor the better as quite frankly he was crap! I personally didn’t rate this at all. Soderbergh is a good director but his foray into action was a bit of a let down and a great disappointment.
Merissa (11779 KP) rated Return of the Assassin (All The King's Men #5) in Books
Jun 7, 2023
This is Malek and Gina's story - both of them have mated before and lost their mates, through one reason or another. This is their second chance but will they both be too stubborn to take it?
This book is both fantastic and horrible! It is full of historical abuse, psychotic episodes, and trauma. And yet it is also full of hope, of love and of the promise of good things yet to come. With this storyline, we not only learn more about Malek and Gina, but also Trace, his brother Brak, and their father Maddox. Then there are the Drecks, Dracians, and Thracians all thrown into the mix too. However, Ms Lynne's writing is such that you are never overloaded with information, rather it all slots neatly into place, leaving you with a thrilling and emotion-packed story.
A fantastic addition to the series, leaving me wanting more... like now! 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!
Apr 28, 2016
This book is both fantastic and horrible! It is full of historical abuse, psychotic episodes, and trauma. And yet it is also full of hope, of love and of the promise of good things yet to come. With this storyline, we not only learn more about Malek and Gina, but also Trace, his brother Brak, and their father Maddox. Then there are the Drecks, Dracians, and Thracians all thrown into the mix too. However, Ms Lynne's writing is such that you are never overloaded with information, rather it all slots neatly into place, leaving you with a thrilling and emotion-packed story.
A fantastic addition to the series, leaving me wanting more... like now! 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!
Apr 28, 2016
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Miss Bala (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Gloria (Gina Rodriguez), a makeup artist in Los Angeles, heads to Tijuana for a fun weekend with her best friend, Suzu (Cristina Rodlo). Gloria is going to help Suzu prepare for the Miss Baja California beauty pageant. They decide to head to a club to rub elbows with one of the more important judges, Chief Saucedo (Damian Alcazar). That is when a fun trip turns into a nightmare, several members of a local cartel, Estrella (Spanish for star), break in and start shooting up the club. The leader of Estrella, Leno (Ismael Cruz Cordova), believes that Chief Saucedo is trying to cut into his business and is there to assassinate him. Gloria escapes but gets separated from Suzu. She searches all night and calls the hospitals but can’t find her friend. She finds a police officer to have him help search and tells him he saw the attackers. Instead of taking her to the police station he delivers her to Estrella and Leno. He agrees to help her find her friend but there is a price. Now Gloria will have go to great lengths to find her friend and survive a deadly battle between a cartel and the police from right in the middle of the chaos.
Gina Rodriguez is really good in this film. I thought her performance was definitely the best part of this film. Otherwise the performances were a mix bag of good and bad. Cruz Cordova in particular failed to really come across as a scary, but sensitive, cartel leader. The cameo by Anthony Mackie was a surprise. The story is really interesting and there were times that were suspenseful. The action was decent with some good scenes. The issue was there were also some campy performances and scene set ups that felt rushed. The film was shot decently and the music fit well. The end, which I would not dare spoil, really fell short of all of the buildup.
Before looking for a trailer for this movie I did not know that this was a remake of a 2012 film of the same name. I would be interested to see this film to compare the two because I enjoyed the story. This film missed on some points but really did entertain me for the hour and forty-four minutes. I would say that you could save this for streaming or rental. I don’t think that it would be a movie I would watch again in the theater.
Gina Rodriguez is really good in this film. I thought her performance was definitely the best part of this film. Otherwise the performances were a mix bag of good and bad. Cruz Cordova in particular failed to really come across as a scary, but sensitive, cartel leader. The cameo by Anthony Mackie was a surprise. The story is really interesting and there were times that were suspenseful. The action was decent with some good scenes. The issue was there were also some campy performances and scene set ups that felt rushed. The film was shot decently and the music fit well. The end, which I would not dare spoil, really fell short of all of the buildup.
Before looking for a trailer for this movie I did not know that this was a remake of a 2012 film of the same name. I would be interested to see this film to compare the two because I enjoyed the story. This film missed on some points but really did entertain me for the hour and forty-four minutes. I would say that you could save this for streaming or rental. I don’t think that it would be a movie I would watch again in the theater.
Kim Pook (101 KP) rated Awake (2021) in Movies
Jun 1, 2022
This movie stars Gina Rodriguez aka Jane the virgin as Jill, a young mum who also seems to be a prescription drug dealer!?! Anyway, one day after work Jill gets into a car crash with her kids in the car, at the same time as a power cut. When she goes to the hospital, patients who were in a coma start waking up and staff are busy wondering what's happening. It is soon evident that the world is unable to sleep except for Jill's daughter matilda. They need to find a way to be able to sleep before everyone turns crazy and matilda is the key.
This film really confused me, I thought the whole being awake thing had happened during the power cut, but the way people were behaving it was like they'd been that way for a while. Jill mentions she had only been awake for 4 days, so was everyone effected at different times? How long has it been going on? Nothing made sense and I lost interest quickly. I watched to the end to see if all these answers became clear, but they didn't. That's an hour and thirty five minutes of my life I never getting back.
This film really confused me, I thought the whole being awake thing had happened during the power cut, but the way people were behaving it was like they'd been that way for a while. Jill mentions she had only been awake for 4 days, so was everyone effected at different times? How long has it been going on? Nothing made sense and I lost interest quickly. I watched to the end to see if all these answers became clear, but they didn't. That's an hour and thirty five minutes of my life I never getting back.
Writing (3 more)
No character development
Too many inconsistencies
Too many chapters
Errin Stowell's new novel series starts with Covet Not which is about a middle-aged lawyer named Sam Sparks - - - who is referred to as Sparks nearly the entire story - - - whose fiancee goes missing and he then becomes the prime suspect. Before everything happens though, readers see that Sparks spends his time trying to defend the elderly from home foreclosures as a small-time lawyer.
If this sounds like a synopsis for a John Grisham novel, you wouldn't be far off because Stowell has the potential to be the next one. This is only the first novel I've read by Stowell, but the one thing I noticed mostly in this story was the amount of inconsistencies and amateur writing mistakes; with better editing and consistency, his books could very well hit mainstream.
Also, Covet Not had so many chapters, so much so that scenes were chopped in half and made into entirely new chapters. The book ended up having 48 chapters within 158 pages. This amount could have easily been shortened and helped with the flow of the story if Stowell had just continued onwards with scenes rather then cutting them short or just skipping parts completely.
The novel starts with a man called Skinny who is enjoying his growing infamy on the dark web (he records himself murdering women then uploads it for his audience to enjoy). Here is how Stowell describes Skinny's thought process:
" Skinny took a black ski mask from the duffel bag and put it on before carrying the bag into the camera's frame and placing it near the woman. He began unpacking other items from the bag. It was slow work, deliberately slow for the camera. Skinny intended to have a before and after view for each tool. It was important to show the proper use of tools. The viewers always appreciated that. "
When we switch over to Sparks, we find him after a long day of work, speaking with a journalist named Gina, his fiancee, who is telling him one of her co-workers stole her story, but no one has heard from her in two days. Yet, they both agree that she's probably holed up with one of the producers, and instead, get into a small argument about Sparks never supporting Gina - - - a constant habit of arguing is almost every interaction between the two throughout the entire novel.
Soon after, Sparks introduces us to his uncle Jimmy, who is being housed at a retirement home: " The old man was seated in a wheelchair; his left leg had been amputated just below the knee a few years before, the result of allowing an ingrown toenail to fester to gangrene. Jimmy's barrel chest and solid upper body contrasted with his wasting legs. "
As Sparks continues to visit his uncle in the retirement home, he keeps running into a cute nurse named Darlene, who quickly sets her sights on him. She goes so far out of her way to get Sparks and Gina to separate that she sends him nude photos of herself from a burner phone. Fortunately, Sparks has bigger fish to fry when he hears over his car radio that Gina's co-worker was now being treated as a missing person case, causing Sparks to quickly jump to the conclusion that Gina possibly was responsible for it.
However, Stowell throws in an expected curveball by making our villain, Skinny, work at the retirement home. When he comes in to take care of a patient while Sparks is present, it's too easy to guess that this patient was going to end up dead soon. Sparks, expectedly, has a bad feeling about this male nurse, but dismisses it and believes that the patient died by natural causes. Life goes on.
Stowell's novel, with a great plot, was just too focused on ending the story, that after page 50, it seemed as if Stowell didn't care what happened to these characters, just as long as he finished the book. At one point, readers are told that Sparks doesn't drink alcohol, but it's never explained why he doesn't which would have given a bite of character development; another scene, Sparks finds a phone, but doesn't want to give it to police, instead he states that he has a 'friend' in the police department who can go through it as a favor, but this 'friend' is completely forgotten, as if Sparks never mentioned him, and the former is left dumbfounded as to how to get into the phone.
There's a story here and characters that could be more well-rounded, but I honestly found myself not caring the least bit about any of the characters' well-being, especially Sparks - - - someone who comes off as inept, someone who has to be told what to do in order for anything to get done - - - he's like a lost child running blindly throughout the book. The story needs to be longer with more emphasis given to mundane scenes that will allow readers to chew on a piece of Sparks' daily life because, by the end of the book, we needed a full picture of every major character, not a Jackson Pollock.
If this sounds like a synopsis for a John Grisham novel, you wouldn't be far off because Stowell has the potential to be the next one. This is only the first novel I've read by Stowell, but the one thing I noticed mostly in this story was the amount of inconsistencies and amateur writing mistakes; with better editing and consistency, his books could very well hit mainstream.
Also, Covet Not had so many chapters, so much so that scenes were chopped in half and made into entirely new chapters. The book ended up having 48 chapters within 158 pages. This amount could have easily been shortened and helped with the flow of the story if Stowell had just continued onwards with scenes rather then cutting them short or just skipping parts completely.
The novel starts with a man called Skinny who is enjoying his growing infamy on the dark web (he records himself murdering women then uploads it for his audience to enjoy). Here is how Stowell describes Skinny's thought process:
" Skinny took a black ski mask from the duffel bag and put it on before carrying the bag into the camera's frame and placing it near the woman. He began unpacking other items from the bag. It was slow work, deliberately slow for the camera. Skinny intended to have a before and after view for each tool. It was important to show the proper use of tools. The viewers always appreciated that. "
When we switch over to Sparks, we find him after a long day of work, speaking with a journalist named Gina, his fiancee, who is telling him one of her co-workers stole her story, but no one has heard from her in two days. Yet, they both agree that she's probably holed up with one of the producers, and instead, get into a small argument about Sparks never supporting Gina - - - a constant habit of arguing is almost every interaction between the two throughout the entire novel.
Soon after, Sparks introduces us to his uncle Jimmy, who is being housed at a retirement home: " The old man was seated in a wheelchair; his left leg had been amputated just below the knee a few years before, the result of allowing an ingrown toenail to fester to gangrene. Jimmy's barrel chest and solid upper body contrasted with his wasting legs. "
As Sparks continues to visit his uncle in the retirement home, he keeps running into a cute nurse named Darlene, who quickly sets her sights on him. She goes so far out of her way to get Sparks and Gina to separate that she sends him nude photos of herself from a burner phone. Fortunately, Sparks has bigger fish to fry when he hears over his car radio that Gina's co-worker was now being treated as a missing person case, causing Sparks to quickly jump to the conclusion that Gina possibly was responsible for it.
However, Stowell throws in an expected curveball by making our villain, Skinny, work at the retirement home. When he comes in to take care of a patient while Sparks is present, it's too easy to guess that this patient was going to end up dead soon. Sparks, expectedly, has a bad feeling about this male nurse, but dismisses it and believes that the patient died by natural causes. Life goes on.
Stowell's novel, with a great plot, was just too focused on ending the story, that after page 50, it seemed as if Stowell didn't care what happened to these characters, just as long as he finished the book. At one point, readers are told that Sparks doesn't drink alcohol, but it's never explained why he doesn't which would have given a bite of character development; another scene, Sparks finds a phone, but doesn't want to give it to police, instead he states that he has a 'friend' in the police department who can go through it as a favor, but this 'friend' is completely forgotten, as if Sparks never mentioned him, and the former is left dumbfounded as to how to get into the phone.
There's a story here and characters that could be more well-rounded, but I honestly found myself not caring the least bit about any of the characters' well-being, especially Sparks - - - someone who comes off as inept, someone who has to be told what to do in order for anything to get done - - - he's like a lost child running blindly throughout the book. The story needs to be longer with more emphasis given to mundane scenes that will allow readers to chew on a piece of Sparks' daily life because, by the end of the book, we needed a full picture of every major character, not a Jackson Pollock.