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Ari Augustine (10 KP) rated Consumed (Firefighters, #1) in Books

May 4, 2020

Consumed (Firefighters, #1)

J.R. Ward | 2018 | Contemporary, Humor & Comedy, Romance

7.5

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

The opening chapters were great, but I'm not sure I would call home about it.
Let's start with the good: who doesn't love a firefighter romance? I mean, there's hot and then there is HOT.
Immediately, I was given stakes. There were fires and lives on the line. Decisions that would alter a life forever. Amazing characters and the kind of tension I could shatter my little heart with, It was like I was walking a tightrope --and I was hooked. This was GREAT.

But then about 50% through the book, I realized I had no clue where the story was going. There was definitely a lag for me, a slump where the plot seemed to just hover and not really move forward. The whole premise promised in the blurb of Anne hunting down a killer kinda stalls. I found myself actively looking for action, but unable to find really any movement forward. By the end, much of the plot came together. However, it was too rushed. I truly feel this could have had better pacing to it and a better Act 2 to support the story.

That aside, the book is great for anyone who doesn't mind the hiccups and lags. But for me, I'm not sure I would read this again, which is sad because I do like some of Ward's other books.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Iced in Paradise in Books

Apr 15, 2020

Tracking an Ice-Cold Killer

Leilani Santiago has returned from Seattle to the island of Kauai to help run her family’s shave ice shack. Unfortunately, that means dealing with family dynamics, including her estranged father. He’s returned now with Luke, his newest surfing protégé, for a local competition. The morning of the competition, Leilani finds Luke dead on the floor of the shave ice shack. With her father as the prime suspect, Leilani begins to investigate. Can she find the truth?

This book is written in first person present tense, which took a couple of chapters to get used to, but once I did, I had no trouble getting lost in the story. The mystery with strong with plenty of suspects, yet things make sense when Leilani finds the truth. Like other books Naomi Hirahara has written, family dynamics are also a strong storyline, and they weave in and out without taking over from the mystery. This helps us get to know the characters, and I grew to love them as I read. I did struggle with the Pigeon English the characters speak; at times it really slowed me down as I worked to translate what they were saying. But that was my only complaint. The book left me feeling like I’d visited Kauai but craving shave ice.