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Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Murder on the Acropolis in Books
Dec 5, 2020
Murder on the Acropolis by Christos Christidis is a slightly confusing book that takes readers on a twisting journey in Greece following the trail of a few murders.
Linda Davis and her husband, Tony are visiting the Acropolis in Greece when tragedy strikes. Linda is killed by an unknown shooter in what appears to be an assassination. Yet the question remains, was she the intended target or just caught in the crossfire? The investigation of Linda’s murder quickly is connected to two other murders. The total investigation takes readers on a journey to beautiful locations and on visits to shady people. No one is safe from the suspect list from casino owners to lawyers. Can this mess of deceit, lies, and mystery safely be untangled or will the investigators fall to the dangerous murderer.
I absolutely love the setting and the level of planning in this book. The plot was entertaining and holds a lot of promise in a reread. It was difficult to write a summary of this book without giving away any spoilers. What I didn’t like was that there was just too much going on in this book making it difficult to follow the plot. It feels like it jumps around way too much and is a relatively hard read.
Adult who enjoy mysteries with multiple characters and plots. I do not recommend this book for people who have a lot of distractions to deal with regularly. Younger readers will probably get lost in this book much like I did. I rate this book 2 out of 4. I feel like this was a well though out book that many people will enjoy, I just didn’t happen to be one of them. Unfortunately I had a lot of difficulty following what was going on. It is defiantly a book I will be revisiting in the future.
Murder on the Acropolis | Book| Austin Macauley Publishers
Linda Davis and her husband, Tony are visiting the Acropolis in Greece when tragedy strikes. Linda is killed by an unknown shooter in what appears to be an assassination. Yet the question remains, was she the intended target or just caught in the crossfire? The investigation of Linda’s murder quickly is connected to two other murders. The total investigation takes readers on a journey to beautiful locations and on visits to shady people. No one is safe from the suspect list from casino owners to lawyers. Can this mess of deceit, lies, and mystery safely be untangled or will the investigators fall to the dangerous murderer.
I absolutely love the setting and the level of planning in this book. The plot was entertaining and holds a lot of promise in a reread. It was difficult to write a summary of this book without giving away any spoilers. What I didn’t like was that there was just too much going on in this book making it difficult to follow the plot. It feels like it jumps around way too much and is a relatively hard read.
Adult who enjoy mysteries with multiple characters and plots. I do not recommend this book for people who have a lot of distractions to deal with regularly. Younger readers will probably get lost in this book much like I did. I rate this book 2 out of 4. I feel like this was a well though out book that many people will enjoy, I just didn’t happen to be one of them. Unfortunately I had a lot of difficulty following what was going on. It is defiantly a book I will be revisiting in the future.
Murder on the Acropolis | Book| Austin Macauley Publishers
Kristina (502 KP) rated Furthermore (Furthermore, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2020
"I don't hate it, I don't love it. I don't like the writing style, I don't dislike the writing style. I'm not sure if I like it, but I can't seem to stop reading it. I'm very confused. Also, this book is giving me huge 'Alice in Wonderland' vibes!"
As you can see from the update I have copied and pasted, I wasn't quite sure what to think of Furthermore. In fact, I felt a bit like Alice, lost and confused, a bit stiff in what I like to read. I'm not certain if I should give Furthermore 3 stars or 4 stars; then again, I also wonder if I should give it 2 stars. I have never, in all my life, been so confounded. Even now, after having finished it and trying to come up with a review three days later, I'm left speechless. It wasn't "edge of your seat" exciting or "page turning" mysterious, but there's just something about the story that makes me refuse to say I didn't like it - even if I'm not quite sure I did. The story as a whole was pretty entertaining, though there moments I felt just as confused as Alice was and I didn't quite appreciate that (of course, that was most likely Tahereh's point). I would promise myself to stop at the next chapter, because as I read it, I wanted to stop. Yet, when the next chapter would come, I found myself unable to quit. I suppose you could say the magic of Furthermore wrapped itself around me and compelled me to finish the book.
Because I have never had such a reaction to a book before - and because I was actually excited at the prospect that there may be another book, what with the way this one ended - I think I'm going to give it a 3.5 rating. Because of my doubt, uncertainty, and unwillingness to decide if I truly liked it or not, I can't give it 4 stars. So, there you have it. Do what you can with the mess that lives inside my brain whenever I try to figure Furthermore out.
As you can see from the update I have copied and pasted, I wasn't quite sure what to think of Furthermore. In fact, I felt a bit like Alice, lost and confused, a bit stiff in what I like to read. I'm not certain if I should give Furthermore 3 stars or 4 stars; then again, I also wonder if I should give it 2 stars. I have never, in all my life, been so confounded. Even now, after having finished it and trying to come up with a review three days later, I'm left speechless. It wasn't "edge of your seat" exciting or "page turning" mysterious, but there's just something about the story that makes me refuse to say I didn't like it - even if I'm not quite sure I did. The story as a whole was pretty entertaining, though there moments I felt just as confused as Alice was and I didn't quite appreciate that (of course, that was most likely Tahereh's point). I would promise myself to stop at the next chapter, because as I read it, I wanted to stop. Yet, when the next chapter would come, I found myself unable to quit. I suppose you could say the magic of Furthermore wrapped itself around me and compelled me to finish the book.
Because I have never had such a reaction to a book before - and because I was actually excited at the prospect that there may be another book, what with the way this one ended - I think I'm going to give it a 3.5 rating. Because of my doubt, uncertainty, and unwillingness to decide if I truly liked it or not, I can't give it 4 stars. So, there you have it. Do what you can with the mess that lives inside my brain whenever I try to figure Furthermore out.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Little Grave (Detective Amanda Steele #1) in Books
Jan 17, 2021
I admit I don't read a lot of American crime; I've nothing against it but I just happen to prefer my crime books to be set in the UK however, this one caught my eye and I thought I'd have a bit of a change and, overall, I was very satisfied.
The blurb, as you can see, is a long one and sets the scene very well for this solid start to a new series.
Amanda is a complex character and was difficult to get to like at first but this was understandable given what she has experienced; she did grow on me at the end as she started to work through her grief and the true Amanda came out however, I admit to nearly giving up on her but glad I didn't.
As the blurb says, Amanda is investigating the murder of the man who killed her husband and daughter but can she be objective and why is she getting threatening phone calls telling her to back off? She doesn't of course, otherwise there wouldn't be a book, but this is not a straightforward murder and does it have anything to do with the murder of the man's business partner and an exotic dancer or is it just a coincidence? The closer Amanda gets to finding out, the closer she gets to discovering the answers are closer to home than she could ever imagined.
The plot was great, the pace was good and the characters were explored just enough to wet your appetite to want to get to know them more, particularly Trent, but what I felt was really well explored was the grieving process that Amanda was experiencing. I really got a sense of her total desolation and how little things triggered memories of her dead loved ones and how this impacted on her every waking minute because, let's face it, if you had lost your entire reason for being, I'm sure you'd be the same.
Like I said at the beginning, this is a solid start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Many thanks to Bookoutre and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased review.
The blurb, as you can see, is a long one and sets the scene very well for this solid start to a new series.
Amanda is a complex character and was difficult to get to like at first but this was understandable given what she has experienced; she did grow on me at the end as she started to work through her grief and the true Amanda came out however, I admit to nearly giving up on her but glad I didn't.
As the blurb says, Amanda is investigating the murder of the man who killed her husband and daughter but can she be objective and why is she getting threatening phone calls telling her to back off? She doesn't of course, otherwise there wouldn't be a book, but this is not a straightforward murder and does it have anything to do with the murder of the man's business partner and an exotic dancer or is it just a coincidence? The closer Amanda gets to finding out, the closer she gets to discovering the answers are closer to home than she could ever imagined.
The plot was great, the pace was good and the characters were explored just enough to wet your appetite to want to get to know them more, particularly Trent, but what I felt was really well explored was the grieving process that Amanda was experiencing. I really got a sense of her total desolation and how little things triggered memories of her dead loved ones and how this impacted on her every waking minute because, let's face it, if you had lost your entire reason for being, I'm sure you'd be the same.
Like I said at the beginning, this is a solid start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Many thanks to Bookoutre and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased review.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Gunslinger: (Claire Whitcomb Westerns Book 2) in Books
Dec 20, 2020
I am not one for reading westerns or much historical fiction however, I am a fan of D.V.Berkom's work so was persuaded to read the first of the series "Retribution" and I surprised myself by enjoying it so jumped at the chance to read "Gunslinger" as I was itching to find out what Claire gets up to next.
D.V. has a great ability to create characters that you quickly become invested in and Claire is definitely one of those. D.V. also creates strong, female characters that don't take any grief from the supposedly stronger gender and, again, Claire is most definitely one of these but her job is made even harder given the time and location in which this book is set.
I'm not going to go into the plot here, you will just have to read it, but what I will say is that you really get absorbed and transported to the Wild West and you are quickly captivated by the characters and drawn into this action packed story so much so that, before you know it, it's over and you are left wanting more and herein is the only gripe I have ... it's not long enough but maybe that's because I read too quickly!
As I said, I usually give Westerns a wide berth as they are not my thing but this series has definitely made me think twice about doing this in the future and if you are of a similar opinion, I would suggest you do the same by giving this series a try ... you never know, you might change your mind and fine another genre to get your teeth into.
I am lucky to be a member of D.V. Berkom's ARTeam and was sent a copy of Gunslinger before the official publication date of 28-December-2020 in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review and for which I am extremely grateful and I don't have to wait long for book 3, "Legend", which is due to be published in January 2021 and which is already sat in my to-be-read pile just waiting for my hungry little eyes to be engrossed once again.
D.V. has a great ability to create characters that you quickly become invested in and Claire is definitely one of those. D.V. also creates strong, female characters that don't take any grief from the supposedly stronger gender and, again, Claire is most definitely one of these but her job is made even harder given the time and location in which this book is set.
I'm not going to go into the plot here, you will just have to read it, but what I will say is that you really get absorbed and transported to the Wild West and you are quickly captivated by the characters and drawn into this action packed story so much so that, before you know it, it's over and you are left wanting more and herein is the only gripe I have ... it's not long enough but maybe that's because I read too quickly!
As I said, I usually give Westerns a wide berth as they are not my thing but this series has definitely made me think twice about doing this in the future and if you are of a similar opinion, I would suggest you do the same by giving this series a try ... you never know, you might change your mind and fine another genre to get your teeth into.
I am lucky to be a member of D.V. Berkom's ARTeam and was sent a copy of Gunslinger before the official publication date of 28-December-2020 in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review and for which I am extremely grateful and I don't have to wait long for book 3, "Legend", which is due to be published in January 2021 and which is already sat in my to-be-read pile just waiting for my hungry little eyes to be engrossed once again.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated I'll Give You the Sun in Books
Jun 24, 2019
Read the original review: https://bookmarkedreading.wordpress.com/2015/10/08/book-review-ill-give-you-the-sun/
(Self-portrait: Book Remakes Girl)
Oh my Clark Gable. I'll Give You the Sun is simply amazing. It's a piece or artwork in itself, a definite new favourite of mine.
Alternating between twins Noah and Jude, I'll Give You the Sun is two alternating stories that twist together in ways so unexpected and so perfect that you'll undoubtedly want to read to the end without putting the book down. The Invisible Museum of Noah, aged 13 to 14, and The History of Luck, 16-year-old's Jude's story, are amazing on their own, but then they start to fit together so tremendously, and every little thing makes so much sense... I can't describe how amazing I found this book.
Jude and Noah were close; Noah was always painting, inside his head and out, and Jude was out being a badass daredevil, and building her flying women in the sand. But a horrific accident involving their mother sends them both tumbling, and the relationship between them is ruined.
But although all hope seems lost, the now-boycotting Jude finds the answer in such an unexpected way and suddenly everything falls back into place.
And Noah, after having his heart ripped out by his own actions, has to decide between telling the truth about his mother or keeping her secrets hidden beneath lies.
I love the style and layout of this book. The cover alone is wonderful, but the pages themselves are all so unique and interesting, I loved it at soon as I turned to the first page. It's not too busy or intricate, just simple little doodles and such giving each page a bit of character. And every cover I've seen is nice and minimalistic too. (If you want to look the book up and see the over editions and covers you can look at it on Goodreads.)
A story of family struggles, individual troubles, love and heartbreak, I'll Give You the Sun is simply beautiful. I'm dying to read it again, even after finishing it just ten minutes ago! A full 5 stars for this gorgeous book.
(Self-portrait: Book Remakes Girl)
Oh my Clark Gable. I'll Give You the Sun is simply amazing. It's a piece or artwork in itself, a definite new favourite of mine.
Alternating between twins Noah and Jude, I'll Give You the Sun is two alternating stories that twist together in ways so unexpected and so perfect that you'll undoubtedly want to read to the end without putting the book down. The Invisible Museum of Noah, aged 13 to 14, and The History of Luck, 16-year-old's Jude's story, are amazing on their own, but then they start to fit together so tremendously, and every little thing makes so much sense... I can't describe how amazing I found this book.
Jude and Noah were close; Noah was always painting, inside his head and out, and Jude was out being a badass daredevil, and building her flying women in the sand. But a horrific accident involving their mother sends them both tumbling, and the relationship between them is ruined.
But although all hope seems lost, the now-boycotting Jude finds the answer in such an unexpected way and suddenly everything falls back into place.
And Noah, after having his heart ripped out by his own actions, has to decide between telling the truth about his mother or keeping her secrets hidden beneath lies.
I love the style and layout of this book. The cover alone is wonderful, but the pages themselves are all so unique and interesting, I loved it at soon as I turned to the first page. It's not too busy or intricate, just simple little doodles and such giving each page a bit of character. And every cover I've seen is nice and minimalistic too. (If you want to look the book up and see the over editions and covers you can look at it on Goodreads.)
A story of family struggles, individual troubles, love and heartbreak, I'll Give You the Sun is simply beautiful. I'm dying to read it again, even after finishing it just ten minutes ago! A full 5 stars for this gorgeous book.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated The Sisters of the Winter Wood in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I'm going to avoid discussing the plot too much so I don't spoil any potential readers (and I do recommend you read this!).
This book is set in Dubossary, narrated alternately by Liba and Laya. Liba is the older of the two, the only children in their family. They are Jews, and while this book was hugely about their faith and discrimination against them, it is not only about that. This book was like a new fairytale. It had magic in every page, and was genuinely exciting to read. There were tragic elements, tons of romance, and even a sense of suspense.
The girls are left in their home alone when their parents rush off to Kupel in a family emergency. But just as they plan to leave, the girls' Mami decides it's time to tell her daughters who they really are: a bear and a swan.
As I said, I will not delve into the story too much. But I really loved the story involving Laya and the Hovlin brothers, as well as Liba's own internal struggles. Laya's romance at the end of the book was, in my opinion, a little rushed and unexpected, but that's the only real downside I have.
The writing was lovely - it included Yiddish and Hebrew dialect, which was translated in the Author's Note at the end. (A quick side note; I actually read the entire Note, which is really quite rare for me.) And Laya's account, in particular, felt so poetic. She was definitely my favourite character, as much as I love Liba, too. And the relationship between the girls is so, so lovely. No matter how much they try to push each other away, they are always there for each other in the end.
As I enjoyed this book so much, I tried to talk about it with my boyfriend. However, I soon discovered that describing this story is really quite a feat. It was full of little details and twists that just made the story.
I really liked this book. As I only received an ARC and not a final edition, I didn't have the official layout, which I can imagine may add to it also. Even so, I'm easily giving this 4.5 to 5 stars.
This book is set in Dubossary, narrated alternately by Liba and Laya. Liba is the older of the two, the only children in their family. They are Jews, and while this book was hugely about their faith and discrimination against them, it is not only about that. This book was like a new fairytale. It had magic in every page, and was genuinely exciting to read. There were tragic elements, tons of romance, and even a sense of suspense.
The girls are left in their home alone when their parents rush off to Kupel in a family emergency. But just as they plan to leave, the girls' Mami decides it's time to tell her daughters who they really are: a bear and a swan.
As I said, I will not delve into the story too much. But I really loved the story involving Laya and the Hovlin brothers, as well as Liba's own internal struggles. Laya's romance at the end of the book was, in my opinion, a little rushed and unexpected, but that's the only real downside I have.
The writing was lovely - it included Yiddish and Hebrew dialect, which was translated in the Author's Note at the end. (A quick side note; I actually read the entire Note, which is really quite rare for me.) And Laya's account, in particular, felt so poetic. She was definitely my favourite character, as much as I love Liba, too. And the relationship between the girls is so, so lovely. No matter how much they try to push each other away, they are always there for each other in the end.
As I enjoyed this book so much, I tried to talk about it with my boyfriend. However, I soon discovered that describing this story is really quite a feat. It was full of little details and twists that just made the story.
I really liked this book. As I only received an ARC and not a final edition, I didn't have the official layout, which I can imagine may add to it also. Even so, I'm easily giving this 4.5 to 5 stars.
Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Elevator Pitch in Books
Jun 28, 2019
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.
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.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Angel Has Fallen (2019) in Movies
Aug 21, 2019
It is hard to believe that it has been six years since Gerard Butler introduced audiences to Special Agent Mike Banning. Over the course of the film and its sequel; Banning kept the President safe against a never-ending barrage of threats both home and abroad.
For the new film “Angel Has Fallen”; Banning must protect a new President (Morgan Freeman) and clear his name when he is framed after a devastating attack on the President.
When he is suddenly the most wanted man in the country; Banning must use all his skills when he is abducted and subsequently escapes while be transported to a detention facility.
The movie takes a bit of time getting up to speed but wisely has some good action along the way to setup the film and increase the tension levels. Once the action revs up, it is full on pedal to the floor action with Butler throwing himself into the fray against heavy odds no matter the cost.
What makes this film stand out from the others is that narrative is more plausible than other action films and you do see Butler dealing with the results of his profession. This is not a Teflon Super Hero who has bullets bounce off his chest. This is a man who bears his physical and psychological scars from his years in service and has a hard time letting go of the work even though it is what he believes he is best suited for.
Morgan Freeman gives a very strong performance as does Nick Nolte who stole many of the scenes in which he was in and provided some real Wild Card comic relief and action to the film.
In the end it is Gerard’s picture and he throws himself into the part without becoming repetitive of his past films and giving Banning a relatable and sympathetic quality that is often lacking in films of this type.
In a summer of many films Over Promising and Under-Delivering: “Angel Has Fallen” is a refreshing exception as it was an enjoyable thrill ride from start to finish and I sure hope we have not seen the last of Agent Banning.
4 stars out of 5
http://sknr.net/2019/08/21/angel-has-fallen/
For the new film “Angel Has Fallen”; Banning must protect a new President (Morgan Freeman) and clear his name when he is framed after a devastating attack on the President.
When he is suddenly the most wanted man in the country; Banning must use all his skills when he is abducted and subsequently escapes while be transported to a detention facility.
The movie takes a bit of time getting up to speed but wisely has some good action along the way to setup the film and increase the tension levels. Once the action revs up, it is full on pedal to the floor action with Butler throwing himself into the fray against heavy odds no matter the cost.
What makes this film stand out from the others is that narrative is more plausible than other action films and you do see Butler dealing with the results of his profession. This is not a Teflon Super Hero who has bullets bounce off his chest. This is a man who bears his physical and psychological scars from his years in service and has a hard time letting go of the work even though it is what he believes he is best suited for.
Morgan Freeman gives a very strong performance as does Nick Nolte who stole many of the scenes in which he was in and provided some real Wild Card comic relief and action to the film.
In the end it is Gerard’s picture and he throws himself into the part without becoming repetitive of his past films and giving Banning a relatable and sympathetic quality that is often lacking in films of this type.
In a summer of many films Over Promising and Under-Delivering: “Angel Has Fallen” is a refreshing exception as it was an enjoyable thrill ride from start to finish and I sure hope we have not seen the last of Agent Banning.
4 stars out of 5
http://sknr.net/2019/08/21/angel-has-fallen/
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