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Abducted in Iraq: A Priest in Baghdad
Saad Sirop Hanna and Edward S. Aris
Book
How do we respond in the face of evil, especially to those who inflict grave evil upon us? Abducted...
Orphan of Islam
Book
"I've told you before, and I will tell you again, if you are unable to read the Holy Book you will...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Feb 6, 2021 (Updated Feb 6, 2021)
Benedick Lewis (3001 KP) rated Die Trying (Jack Reacher Book#2) in Books
Sep 14, 2020 (Updated Sep 14, 2020)
Some really tense moments - particularly towards the end (3 more)
Reacher isn’t always right but he always wins
Nice chemistry between the two main characters
A definite resemblance to Far Cry 5
Different from the first but equally as good
Jack Reacher (no middle name)’s second outing is a lot different to his debut. Killing Floor was a personal story and felt more focused around Reacher - it also felt like he had godly powers and never seemed to lose. In Die Trying, Reacher is put in a situation out of his element initially but eventually gets his stride. Without wanting to spoil too much, it involves Reacher and a woman on crutches getting kidnapped. When they find out the purpose of the kidnapping, things are a lot worse than one can imagine.
It isn’t really giving anything away to make parallels with 2018’s Far Cry 5. It would be really surprising if the makers of the Ubisoft hit hadn’t read this book. Child’s style is very too the point - with a little padding here and there that if you preserve you get through. Chapters are broken into segments and sometimes flick between multiple characters, which keeps the pace rolling. Child has a good ability to make an event happen and for it to be seen via multiple character perspectives observing said event. It was a little confusing towards the end with certain twists, if you’re not reading in one go, but it isn’t so dense that you lose track and give up.
The payoff is satisfying and action packed, delivering surprises and rapid story telling. Sometimes novels have difficulty rounding things up but there’s no trouble here. It is a well researched novel as well but Andy McNab’s Nick Stone delivers more authenticity regarding weapon handling and operation.
Read this if you enjoy a Hollywood style thriller. It is compact enough to get through quite quickly but detailed enough to make you enjoy the ride.
It isn’t really giving anything away to make parallels with 2018’s Far Cry 5. It would be really surprising if the makers of the Ubisoft hit hadn’t read this book. Child’s style is very too the point - with a little padding here and there that if you preserve you get through. Chapters are broken into segments and sometimes flick between multiple characters, which keeps the pace rolling. Child has a good ability to make an event happen and for it to be seen via multiple character perspectives observing said event. It was a little confusing towards the end with certain twists, if you’re not reading in one go, but it isn’t so dense that you lose track and give up.
The payoff is satisfying and action packed, delivering surprises and rapid story telling. Sometimes novels have difficulty rounding things up but there’s no trouble here. It is a well researched novel as well but Andy McNab’s Nick Stone delivers more authenticity regarding weapon handling and operation.
Read this if you enjoy a Hollywood style thriller. It is compact enough to get through quite quickly but detailed enough to make you enjoy the ride.
Ross (3284 KP) rated A Not So Dead Man's Journey in Books
Sep 20, 2019
Needs a good edit/proof-read
The first book in this new author's series immediately throws the reader into an exciting Indiana Jones-style ruined temple where the main character, Alden, is searching for ancient magical texts.
From the end of this scene, however, the tone changes dramatically as Alden returns home to a painfully dull and twee life with his wife and daughter. This section is laboured and very dull, going way beyond setting the scene and embedding the characters.
Alden is then thrown into a new quest as he is kidnapped by pirates and taken far away to take part in a magical ritual. From here, where the story should be hooking you and growing, the pace is all wrong and I felt like I was the one taken prisoner by this book.
Alden goes through something of a transformation (which is not explained in any way, but that is largely fine) and having been away for 10 years he travels home.
A number of things about the story are just absolutely implausible, and inconsistent. Characters who have barely met, let alone like each other are suddenly best friends with so many fond memories. Magical abilities are suddenly revealed which would have been very useful earlier in the story. And the underlying plot needs a lot of work to thrash out the details and character motivations.
The author's narrative tone is quite charming, but a little twee for some of the darker sections of the story, and the character's thoughts are quite irritatingly thrown in and generally add little of substance.
The writing needs a lot of work, there are so many spelling errors and grammar crimes. And the punctuation is all wrong as well, which may sound pedantic but at times it does throw the reader off and make them question what the sentence meant (see "helping your uncle jack off his horse").
I am convinced there is a good story in here somewhere but it needs a really thorough proof-read and substantial editing.
From the end of this scene, however, the tone changes dramatically as Alden returns home to a painfully dull and twee life with his wife and daughter. This section is laboured and very dull, going way beyond setting the scene and embedding the characters.
Alden is then thrown into a new quest as he is kidnapped by pirates and taken far away to take part in a magical ritual. From here, where the story should be hooking you and growing, the pace is all wrong and I felt like I was the one taken prisoner by this book.
Alden goes through something of a transformation (which is not explained in any way, but that is largely fine) and having been away for 10 years he travels home.
A number of things about the story are just absolutely implausible, and inconsistent. Characters who have barely met, let alone like each other are suddenly best friends with so many fond memories. Magical abilities are suddenly revealed which would have been very useful earlier in the story. And the underlying plot needs a lot of work to thrash out the details and character motivations.
The author's narrative tone is quite charming, but a little twee for some of the darker sections of the story, and the character's thoughts are quite irritatingly thrown in and generally add little of substance.
The writing needs a lot of work, there are so many spelling errors and grammar crimes. And the punctuation is all wrong as well, which may sound pedantic but at times it does throw the reader off and make them question what the sentence meant (see "helping your uncle jack off his horse").
I am convinced there is a good story in here somewhere but it needs a really thorough proof-read and substantial editing.
ClareR (6054 KP) rated Things In Jars in Books
Sep 22, 2019
Victorian England, a female detective and a touch of the supernatural - what’s not to like?
Things in Jars is set in Victorian London. Bridie Devine is a female detective who is called on by Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, a baronet, to find his secret daughter, Christabel, who has been kidnapped. However, he doesn’t want to involve the police (this is where alarm bells start to go off!). Very few people in his household know about the existence of Christabel, and she is shut away, ostensibly to protect them from her. Because Christabel is not an ordinary child: she has supernatural powers that can harm people. Bridie doesn’t believe this, of course. So with the help of Cora, her 7 foot tall housemaid and Ruby, the ghost of a prizefighter, she sets out to rescue the child.
I absolutely loved this book. I was never sure if the mythical, fairytale elements were real, or whether Bridie believed them to be real. The seedy, macabre side to London, the sights and smells of the winding streets and the general atmosphere were so well described, that I could have been standing next to Bridie, watching the moving tattoos across Ruby’s torso! Bridie is an excellent character. She feels compelled to find Christabel, mainly because she is coming to the job with a failure weighing heavy on her shoulders, but also she can remember being alone in the world as a child.
Mrs Bibby is a superb villain - she has her conspirators dancing to her tune. She has a gun (and a limp!) and she’s not afraid to use it! Her macabre ‘fairytales’ really ramped up the atmosphere, and showed how truly awful she was. There was a real menace about her.
Other than what I’ve said here, all I can really say is - go and read this book! I loved it (I’ve said that already, I know!), go and read it - you won’t be sorry!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
I absolutely loved this book. I was never sure if the mythical, fairytale elements were real, or whether Bridie believed them to be real. The seedy, macabre side to London, the sights and smells of the winding streets and the general atmosphere were so well described, that I could have been standing next to Bridie, watching the moving tattoos across Ruby’s torso! Bridie is an excellent character. She feels compelled to find Christabel, mainly because she is coming to the job with a failure weighing heavy on her shoulders, but also she can remember being alone in the world as a child.
Mrs Bibby is a superb villain - she has her conspirators dancing to her tune. She has a gun (and a limp!) and she’s not afraid to use it! Her macabre ‘fairytales’ really ramped up the atmosphere, and showed how truly awful she was. There was a real menace about her.
Other than what I’ve said here, all I can really say is - go and read this book! I loved it (I’ve said that already, I know!), go and read it - you won’t be sorry!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
Lindsay (1779 KP) rated The Last Thing She Said (Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery #3) in Books
Oct 9, 2019
The Last Thing She Said is filled with more then one mystery. Chris is the main one that needs to find answers for a dying friend. But what if that friend ends up being a famous author that wants to give her children the legacy that she left behind?
Well the way this plot goes. Chris and his mother do not know anything or seem to know that they are were friends to someone that was to be kidnapped and dead. When your mother last friend is leaves a letter to your son and ask you find out who murder her first husband George? The plot start to get thick and hot again.
This brings in the Geezer Squad to open up the cold case of a century. The author seem to bring in Mac and his wife which help a bit. If you meet the mayor you should not be surprised that their going to be a case that brings laughter between the two dogs.
Their seems that theirs is murder that needs solving that happens to be bring in two murders and a kidnapping. Who killed Lacy Woodhouse? Who would want George Livingston dead? Why extort money from Horace Billingely?
Laura Carr doe not disappoint. She gives us more then one mystery to dig into. How they all be connected and be related to the kidnapping and murder of George Livingston? To find out all this you will have to read The Last Thing she said. There is not one why to find one answers to why Mercedes Livingston? What ever happened to her? Their seems to be mystery until Chris gets and autographed book.
This author does her book brilliantly that I can not wait for the next one. This author adds her other mystery characters in seemly and they seem to help if they can. This time Mac get pulled in a bit. Will his wife be able to help with Chris cold case?
Well the way this plot goes. Chris and his mother do not know anything or seem to know that they are were friends to someone that was to be kidnapped and dead. When your mother last friend is leaves a letter to your son and ask you find out who murder her first husband George? The plot start to get thick and hot again.
This brings in the Geezer Squad to open up the cold case of a century. The author seem to bring in Mac and his wife which help a bit. If you meet the mayor you should not be surprised that their going to be a case that brings laughter between the two dogs.
Their seems that theirs is murder that needs solving that happens to be bring in two murders and a kidnapping. Who killed Lacy Woodhouse? Who would want George Livingston dead? Why extort money from Horace Billingely?
Laura Carr doe not disappoint. She gives us more then one mystery to dig into. How they all be connected and be related to the kidnapping and murder of George Livingston? To find out all this you will have to read The Last Thing she said. There is not one why to find one answers to why Mercedes Livingston? What ever happened to her? Their seems to be mystery until Chris gets and autographed book.
This author does her book brilliantly that I can not wait for the next one. This author adds her other mystery characters in seemly and they seem to help if they can. This time Mac get pulled in a bit. Will his wife be able to help with Chris cold case?
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KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated Perfected (Perfected, #1) in Books
Jul 10, 2023
Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
This book has been sat on my bookshelf for as long as I can remember, which is why i finally decided to pick it up.
The book was originally published in 2014, around the height of YA Dystopian books. And if that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about this book allow me to continue.
After creating a new law which allows for the creation of human pets, congressman Kimball bought Ella. She is a pet designed and trained specifically for entertaining the Elite as the most prestigious family companion.
But for Ella, things aren't what they seem. Family secrets arise; she is kidnapped; and the dark world under her pampered life shows itself; and she cannot help but fall for the congressman's son, Penn. She is forced to question her existence. But if she chooses to act on these new revelations, she may face a fate worse than death.
Not to be rude, but this book is just like any other YA book written of its time. It draws a lot of similarities to Lauren DeStefano's Wither Trilogy. Its beautifully written, with lots of potential, but lacks execution. Ella is a very basic character for me. She is passive and her only motives for pushing herself derive from Penn, her love interest.
It seems the author tried to go for a hate to love relationship, but it fell flat with the instalovey trope. Even then, their love seemed more like lust to me. They didn't really build any foundations and connection. At least not enough to justify Ella's actions and motives.
Had I read this in my teens when the book came out, I would probably have loved it. But I'm older and nore cynical now.
I have already bought the second book on Audible and the book wasn't so terrible that I won't at least give it a try, but I'm apprehensive to say the least.
The book was originally published in 2014, around the height of YA Dystopian books. And if that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about this book allow me to continue.
After creating a new law which allows for the creation of human pets, congressman Kimball bought Ella. She is a pet designed and trained specifically for entertaining the Elite as the most prestigious family companion.
But for Ella, things aren't what they seem. Family secrets arise; she is kidnapped; and the dark world under her pampered life shows itself; and she cannot help but fall for the congressman's son, Penn. She is forced to question her existence. But if she chooses to act on these new revelations, she may face a fate worse than death.
Not to be rude, but this book is just like any other YA book written of its time. It draws a lot of similarities to Lauren DeStefano's Wither Trilogy. Its beautifully written, with lots of potential, but lacks execution. Ella is a very basic character for me. She is passive and her only motives for pushing herself derive from Penn, her love interest.
It seems the author tried to go for a hate to love relationship, but it fell flat with the instalovey trope. Even then, their love seemed more like lust to me. They didn't really build any foundations and connection. At least not enough to justify Ella's actions and motives.
Had I read this in my teens when the book came out, I would probably have loved it. But I'm older and nore cynical now.
I have already bought the second book on Audible and the book wasn't so terrible that I won't at least give it a try, but I'm apprehensive to say the least.
