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JT (287 KP) rated My Lovely Wife in Books
Mar 11, 2020
Early Twist Will Leave You Wanting More
I told myself this year that I would read more. I'm trying to write my own thriller so thought it would be good to get some tips from a few unknown authors to get a bit of inspiration - so far I haven't been disappointed.
My Lovely Wife does something that I haven't come across yet - it drops the twist within the first chapter. It's a bold move but certainly, a clever one as it leaves the reader wondering what the rest of the story is going to entail. In this one a married couple is a pair of serial killers working together, while at the same time trying to live a normal family life, raising their two kids and going to work.
Things go a bit pear-shaped when they try to resurrect someone from the past that the town they are living in know all too well. Throw in a few more late twists and you have a cracking thriller which I guarantee you won't put down. I would love to see a film made of this.
My Lovely Wife does something that I haven't come across yet - it drops the twist within the first chapter. It's a bold move but certainly, a clever one as it leaves the reader wondering what the rest of the story is going to entail. In this one a married couple is a pair of serial killers working together, while at the same time trying to live a normal family life, raising their two kids and going to work.
Things go a bit pear-shaped when they try to resurrect someone from the past that the town they are living in know all too well. Throw in a few more late twists and you have a cracking thriller which I guarantee you won't put down. I would love to see a film made of this.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Serial Killers Obsession ( Heart of Darkness book 2) in Books
Dec 14, 2021
207 of 250
Kindle
A Serial Killers Obsession ( Heart of Darkness book 2)
By C.F. Rabbiosi
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
I came here for HER.
Hardly sleeping, hardly human, I walked into the Lion's Den.
Once I entered, I knew I would never leave alive. But I had to do it; I had to END her for her betrayal.
But as she lies in front of me, the truth daggers through me.
I would cross the threshold between life and death just to touch her again.
So this book has some trigger warnings!!
It wasn’t as good as book one but I still enjoyed it. The author throws you into the sex and violence straight from the word go. Usually I don’t read this much in your face sex and violence but there is something about this author and her writ that drags you in. The last quarter of this book was so good I can’t wait to get into book 3 maybe after a few light reads haha!!! Please give them a go!!
Kindle
A Serial Killers Obsession ( Heart of Darkness book 2)
By C.F. Rabbiosi
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
I came here for HER.
Hardly sleeping, hardly human, I walked into the Lion's Den.
Once I entered, I knew I would never leave alive. But I had to do it; I had to END her for her betrayal.
But as she lies in front of me, the truth daggers through me.
I would cross the threshold between life and death just to touch her again.
So this book has some trigger warnings!!
It wasn’t as good as book one but I still enjoyed it. The author throws you into the sex and violence straight from the word go. Usually I don’t read this much in your face sex and violence but there is something about this author and her writ that drags you in. The last quarter of this book was so good I can’t wait to get into book 3 maybe after a few light reads haha!!! Please give them a go!!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Mirror Sacrifice ( Dark Legacy book 2) in Books
Oct 20, 2022
193 of 230
Kindle
Mirror Sacrifice ( Dark Legacy book 2)
By Margo Ryerkerk
⭐️⭐️⭐️
After escaping a serial killer, Sierra travels to London, ready to embrace her supernatural heritage.
In addition to training, she has to assert her place among the snobbish elite and decide what to do about Gavin as he grows more distant and teams up on a mission with his charming ex.
To claim her spot in the supernatural world, Sierra trains harder than ever with Cooper who tasked with protecting her soon becomes more.
But matters of the heart will have to wait as the Culpatus returns with unexpected allies and the intention to fulfill a dark prophecy that spells the end of the world.
It was good it picks up with Gavin and sierra arriving in London so she can start her training. Her and Gavin are separated as he has to go hunting for killers with his ex and she’s left with Cooper learning her powers. Safe to say all hell breaks lose and a lot of things become clear. It was decent and well written.
Kindle
Mirror Sacrifice ( Dark Legacy book 2)
By Margo Ryerkerk
⭐️⭐️⭐️
After escaping a serial killer, Sierra travels to London, ready to embrace her supernatural heritage.
In addition to training, she has to assert her place among the snobbish elite and decide what to do about Gavin as he grows more distant and teams up on a mission with his charming ex.
To claim her spot in the supernatural world, Sierra trains harder than ever with Cooper who tasked with protecting her soon becomes more.
But matters of the heart will have to wait as the Culpatus returns with unexpected allies and the intention to fulfill a dark prophecy that spells the end of the world.
It was good it picks up with Gavin and sierra arriving in London so she can start her training. Her and Gavin are separated as he has to go hunting for killers with his ex and she’s left with Cooper learning her powers. Safe to say all hell breaks lose and a lot of things become clear. It was decent and well written.
Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Talking with Psychopaths and Savages: A Journey into the Evil Mind in Books
Oct 16, 2017
There is no journey into an evil mind, just the author's ego
God, if ever there is a narcissist, is the author writing this book. There are zero citations because he feels he's a good enough source by himself. This entire book is just pure self-promotion, with him speaking about one book or TV series he's been involved with in every single chapter, and his letters and interviews to serial killers are just a form of bragging rights disturbingly.
Ironically, there is little sincere empathy with the victims killed by these psychopaths, but just a titillation factor in this book, with the author essentially being a fanboy of these men and one woman. The book also inadvertently reveals how corrupt the American judicial system is, allowing white men to murder and defraud with impunity, while avoiding life sentences and even being granted parole after murdering three people in cold blood.
And with shockingly little psychology in this book, the author even "runs out" of his word count, so it ends abruptly. It is poorly written, as he repeats the phrase "elephants fly" etc. In every other paragraph, and I can now see why it has received low ratings on review sites. Not worth it.
Ironically, there is little sincere empathy with the victims killed by these psychopaths, but just a titillation factor in this book, with the author essentially being a fanboy of these men and one woman. The book also inadvertently reveals how corrupt the American judicial system is, allowing white men to murder and defraud with impunity, while avoiding life sentences and even being granted parole after murdering three people in cold blood.
And with shockingly little psychology in this book, the author even "runs out" of his word count, so it ends abruptly. It is poorly written, as he repeats the phrase "elephants fly" etc. In every other paragraph, and I can now see why it has received low ratings on review sites. Not worth it.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Truly Dead ( Elise Sandburg book 4) in Books
Jun 20, 2022
Contains spoilers, click to show
110 of 230
Kindle
Truly Dead ( Elise Sandburg book 4)
By Anne Frasier
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When a demolition crew uncovers several bodies inside the walls of a house where serial killer Frank J. Remy once lived, the discovery sends shock waves through the Savannah Police Department. All of the bodies were hidden before Remy’s imprisonment and subsequent death thirty-six years earlier—except for one belonging to a missing child.
Homicide partners Elise Sandburg and David Gould were the Savannah PD’s dream team, solving uncrackable crimes and catching killers. But their last case resulted in their termination from the squad, until the coroner calls them back to consult, unofficially, on a body found in the wall of a house once occupied by Remy, a killer Elise’s own father sent to jail—a killer who died in prison. The MO seems uncomfortably similar to that of a serial killer wreaking havoc in Florida.
Does Elise have a copycat on her hands? Is Remy’s influence reaching from beyond the grave? Or is Elise making connections where there are none? When her father warns her to back off the case, Elise’s shadowy family history threatens to swallow her once again. But whatever force is at work, she won’t rest until the killing stops.
Now at odds with everyone she cares about and forced to acknowledge her worsening emotional state, Elise struggles to protect the people she loves as the body count rises.
I have loved this series so much. From book one to the end of this I have laughed and cried with Elise and this book was just the perfect finish to the series! Elise finally got to find peace and hopefully heal those scars mentally and physically. I think the book itself I would have given it a 4⭐️ but decided on the 5⭐️ as it’s a fitting ending.
Kindle
Truly Dead ( Elise Sandburg book 4)
By Anne Frasier
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When a demolition crew uncovers several bodies inside the walls of a house where serial killer Frank J. Remy once lived, the discovery sends shock waves through the Savannah Police Department. All of the bodies were hidden before Remy’s imprisonment and subsequent death thirty-six years earlier—except for one belonging to a missing child.
Homicide partners Elise Sandburg and David Gould were the Savannah PD’s dream team, solving uncrackable crimes and catching killers. But their last case resulted in their termination from the squad, until the coroner calls them back to consult, unofficially, on a body found in the wall of a house once occupied by Remy, a killer Elise’s own father sent to jail—a killer who died in prison. The MO seems uncomfortably similar to that of a serial killer wreaking havoc in Florida.
Does Elise have a copycat on her hands? Is Remy’s influence reaching from beyond the grave? Or is Elise making connections where there are none? When her father warns her to back off the case, Elise’s shadowy family history threatens to swallow her once again. But whatever force is at work, she won’t rest until the killing stops.
Now at odds with everyone she cares about and forced to acknowledge her worsening emotional state, Elise struggles to protect the people she loves as the body count rises.
I have loved this series so much. From book one to the end of this I have laughed and cried with Elise and this book was just the perfect finish to the series! Elise finally got to find peace and hopefully heal those scars mentally and physically. I think the book itself I would have given it a 4⭐️ but decided on the 5⭐️ as it’s a fitting ending.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in TV
Nov 27, 2018
Hugely entertaining, with a bit of artistic license
I’ve just started watching the original series of CSI again from the start, and like the many times I’ve seen it before, I absolutely love it. From the opening title sequence set to The Who’s ‘Who Are You’ and the numerous sweeping panoramas of the bright lights of Vegas, CSI for me was always one of the better crime shows out there. And instead of focusing on dashing detectives, for a change it instead chooses to look at the science behind the crimes. It has engaging and well developed characters, and even the less prominent lab characters are more than just two dimensional extras, even developing into some of the main stars in later series. The crimes are a little bit bonkers, filled with equal parts of blood and gore and humour, and there are some very thrilling multi-episode serial killers thrown in across the many seasons.
It is a little bit far fetched, but you’d be bored if it actual stuck to reality. The forensics are very advanced and not entirely realistic (I studied forensics at uni, not quite as flashy as it appears on screen), but again, it’s nothing more than a bit of artistic license. My only criticism is that I mich preferred this series with the original cast. It was never quite the same after Grissom left.
It is a little bit far fetched, but you’d be bored if it actual stuck to reality. The forensics are very advanced and not entirely realistic (I studied forensics at uni, not quite as flashy as it appears on screen), but again, it’s nothing more than a bit of artistic license. My only criticism is that I mich preferred this series with the original cast. It was never quite the same after Grissom left.
Mini (45 KP) rated Jonathan (2018) in Movies
Jun 17, 2019 (Updated Jun 17, 2019)
Contains spoilers, click to show
Hey friends, this is a review of "Jonathan" also entitled "Duplicate" in other countries. It is a movie about D.I.D though it is referred to as 'multi-consciousness' in the movie. The movie is about the lives of two alters, Jonathan and John, brothers who share the same body. It follows their struggle to live the lives they want whilst sharing a body. As someone who has a friend with DID I thought I'd check out this film that I found on Netflix. While there are some very relatable moments in the film, it has a bittersweet ending that doesn't represent the reality of DID at all! For example, in the film, Jonathan discusses the 'removal'/death of alters. This can't happen with DID. Sure, alters can go 'dormant' which means they just don't front, but alters cannot 'die'.
For those with DID the triggers in this film are as follows: medical/hospital scenes, manipulation by a bad doctor/psychiatrist, brief mentions of sexual situations. There are also a few scenes involving self-harm, suicide attempts and urges, graphic self-removal of a brain implant/chip, gaps in memory, rapid switching, and the threat of suicide from an alter.
This film has a few good indications of DID but is sensationalised and gives the wrong impression. But hey, at least they aren't depicted as serial killers!!!
For those with DID the triggers in this film are as follows: medical/hospital scenes, manipulation by a bad doctor/psychiatrist, brief mentions of sexual situations. There are also a few scenes involving self-harm, suicide attempts and urges, graphic self-removal of a brain implant/chip, gaps in memory, rapid switching, and the threat of suicide from an alter.
This film has a few good indications of DID but is sensationalised and gives the wrong impression. But hey, at least they aren't depicted as serial killers!!!
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Deadly Class in TV
Jul 3, 2020
Teenage Angst, Romance & The Deadly Arts - 8/10
Deadly Class is a tv series airing on SYFY based on the graphic novel created by Rick Remander and Wesley Craig and published by Image Comics. Developed by by Miles Orion Feldscott and produced by the Russo brothers, it's set in a much more macabre late 1980's San Francisco. For me this show has been addicting and is easy to get swept up in the chaos of the halls of Kong's Dominion.
Marcus (Benjamin Wadsworth) is a recently homeless orphan who is inducted into a boarding school of elite assassins called King's Dominion. Recruited off the streets by a gang of students, mainly Saya (Lana Condor), on orders by the headmaster Master Lin (Benedict Wong). He must learn the deadly arts while navigating the perilous halls and vicious social cliques in the free-for-all that is King's Dominion. The institution's a place where the world's top mob and crime families send their children to become better killers and it's graduates include serial killers and government assassins.
This show might not be for everyone but I have found it really enjoyable. It's very cliche at times and definitely has it's standard archetypes but the characters pop with personality especially when the show goes into these really awesome motion comic scenes when delving into their personal backgrounds. The action is definitely top class and keeps the show going but it's not able to always keep that tension when not in the halls or classrooms of the school where anything can happen. By the 1st or 2nd episode you'll know if it's for you. I particularly like how the main group is a bunch of misfits who come together and the progression of the main character. Like i said, I give it a 8/10.
Marcus (Benjamin Wadsworth) is a recently homeless orphan who is inducted into a boarding school of elite assassins called King's Dominion. Recruited off the streets by a gang of students, mainly Saya (Lana Condor), on orders by the headmaster Master Lin (Benedict Wong). He must learn the deadly arts while navigating the perilous halls and vicious social cliques in the free-for-all that is King's Dominion. The institution's a place where the world's top mob and crime families send their children to become better killers and it's graduates include serial killers and government assassins.
This show might not be for everyone but I have found it really enjoyable. It's very cliche at times and definitely has it's standard archetypes but the characters pop with personality especially when the show goes into these really awesome motion comic scenes when delving into their personal backgrounds. The action is definitely top class and keeps the show going but it's not able to always keep that tension when not in the halls or classrooms of the school where anything can happen. By the 1st or 2nd episode you'll know if it's for you. I particularly like how the main group is a bunch of misfits who come together and the progression of the main character. Like i said, I give it a 8/10.
Dr. Sayer Altair is a neuroscientist, investigating the brains of serial killers for the FBI. But when the police find a young girl, dead, after being locked in a cage and left to starve, Sayer is called on to lead the murder investigation. The case intensifies when it turns out she's the daughter of a famous Senator. Soon another girl is missing and Sayer feels the pressure of the case surrounding her. Can she find this next victim before it's too late? And can she find the horrible person who is doing this--before they strike again?
This one had been on my shelf for a bit, and I picked it up as part of my self-imposed #readwhatyouown challenge. I also have the second book, Buried, coming up soon and wanted to read the first Sayer Altair book in the series.
I found Caged to be a quick, compelling read, and I warmed to Sayer immediately. She's a smart, complicated protagonist with her own set of issues, but also an endearing love of hot dogs, actual dogs, and a deep desire to solve her cases and help her victims. I had a slight sense of deja vu starting this one as I'd just recently read a book about another Ph.D. who was studying the brains of serial killers (The Killer on the Wall). What are the odds, right? (Fairly small, I suppose, when you read a ton of thrillers.)
This was a fast read--a race against time aided by short, quick chapters. I actually had a pretty good feeling about who our sicko killer was, but it didn't stop me from finding the entire book very compelling. The novel is a dark read, with the idea of a killer conducting experiments on caged girls very creepy. There's a lot going on--ties to mythology, Sayer's research, some mentions of Sayer's past (she's lost a loved one), office politics, Sayer's (wonderfully feisty) grandmother popping up, and more. At times, it's a bit much and some of the pieces don't feel fully explored, but overall, I enjoyed all the various plot lines.
Sayer is assisted by a great supporting cast (Ezra, one of her researchers, was my favorite, along with her FBI partner). Her grandmother, as mentioned, is also pretty fun. The thread of strong women in this one is interesting, and it's nice to have a main character whom--while obviously flawed--is still really tough and really smart. I'll read about them any day.
"'I think you might just be a badass, Sayer Altair.'"
I sometimes found the writing to be a little simplistic, especially when depicting Sayer's thoughts and feelings (along the lines of a little more telling versus showing). Still, it was well-written for a debut novel and well-done from a forensic and crime perspective--the author's background (Ph.D., murder investigator, and more) shows.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I'm always up for a good mystery that holds my interest, especially one featuring a strong female protagonist. I'm looking forward to reading Buried soon. 3.5+ stars.
This one had been on my shelf for a bit, and I picked it up as part of my self-imposed #readwhatyouown challenge. I also have the second book, Buried, coming up soon and wanted to read the first Sayer Altair book in the series.
I found Caged to be a quick, compelling read, and I warmed to Sayer immediately. She's a smart, complicated protagonist with her own set of issues, but also an endearing love of hot dogs, actual dogs, and a deep desire to solve her cases and help her victims. I had a slight sense of deja vu starting this one as I'd just recently read a book about another Ph.D. who was studying the brains of serial killers (The Killer on the Wall). What are the odds, right? (Fairly small, I suppose, when you read a ton of thrillers.)
This was a fast read--a race against time aided by short, quick chapters. I actually had a pretty good feeling about who our sicko killer was, but it didn't stop me from finding the entire book very compelling. The novel is a dark read, with the idea of a killer conducting experiments on caged girls very creepy. There's a lot going on--ties to mythology, Sayer's research, some mentions of Sayer's past (she's lost a loved one), office politics, Sayer's (wonderfully feisty) grandmother popping up, and more. At times, it's a bit much and some of the pieces don't feel fully explored, but overall, I enjoyed all the various plot lines.
Sayer is assisted by a great supporting cast (Ezra, one of her researchers, was my favorite, along with her FBI partner). Her grandmother, as mentioned, is also pretty fun. The thread of strong women in this one is interesting, and it's nice to have a main character whom--while obviously flawed--is still really tough and really smart. I'll read about them any day.
"'I think you might just be a badass, Sayer Altair.'"
I sometimes found the writing to be a little simplistic, especially when depicting Sayer's thoughts and feelings (along the lines of a little more telling versus showing). Still, it was well-written for a debut novel and well-done from a forensic and crime perspective--the author's background (Ph.D., murder investigator, and more) shows.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I'm always up for a good mystery that holds my interest, especially one featuring a strong female protagonist. I'm looking forward to reading Buried soon. 3.5+ stars.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Something Violent in Books
May 16, 2018
If you're looking for something with a unique take on classic 80's slasher horror, Kristopher Rufty's Something Violent is a must read. Imagine a social media site like Facebook, but with a targeted demographic of murderers and you have Something Violent, a site dedicated to the worst of the darkest, most disturbed minds roaming the world. Here, people come together to share the grisly details and even video footage of their feats - even going so far as to trade off partners in a grotesque version of swinging.
In Something Violent, the main characters aren't victims struggling to save their own hides, but rather a couple that is aptly named Satan's Sweethearts. Together they wreak havoc, slaughtering those that cross them. When their marriage seems at risk of falling apart, they kidnap a famous marriage counselor and recount the events that brought them together in grisly detail.
I think what I liked most about this book was its perspective - I couldn't help but feel disgusted with myself for feeling any amount of sympathy for a pair of murderers, but I suppose in this case, the saying that "anything is possible" rings true. While the book wasn't quite as gory as I would have liked, it certainly kept my interest.
On the other hand, it felt a little too sexualized. Of course, being a fan of the horror genre, this is an aspect of my taste in fiction that I have become accustomed to. Any true horror buff knows that the couple having sex will be one of the first to die after all. While it makes sense for one character to be sexually attracted to another, and go into detail about how and why, there are a few areas where I felt the sexual notes to be a bit too extreme and out of place. For instance, there's a moment where Jody Covington, one of the main characters, thinks to herself about how slick her thighs are with sweat.
Aside from that, Something Violent offers an entertaining insight into the lives of killers and is definitely worth the read. I have to give Rufty kudos for pulling off the normalization of serial killers.
Thanks to NetGalley, DarkFuse, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy for the purpose of review.
In Something Violent, the main characters aren't victims struggling to save their own hides, but rather a couple that is aptly named Satan's Sweethearts. Together they wreak havoc, slaughtering those that cross them. When their marriage seems at risk of falling apart, they kidnap a famous marriage counselor and recount the events that brought them together in grisly detail.
I think what I liked most about this book was its perspective - I couldn't help but feel disgusted with myself for feeling any amount of sympathy for a pair of murderers, but I suppose in this case, the saying that "anything is possible" rings true. While the book wasn't quite as gory as I would have liked, it certainly kept my interest.
On the other hand, it felt a little too sexualized. Of course, being a fan of the horror genre, this is an aspect of my taste in fiction that I have become accustomed to. Any true horror buff knows that the couple having sex will be one of the first to die after all. While it makes sense for one character to be sexually attracted to another, and go into detail about how and why, there are a few areas where I felt the sexual notes to be a bit too extreme and out of place. For instance, there's a moment where Jody Covington, one of the main characters, thinks to herself about how slick her thighs are with sweat.
Aside from that, Something Violent offers an entertaining insight into the lives of killers and is definitely worth the read. I have to give Rufty kudos for pulling off the normalization of serial killers.
Thanks to NetGalley, DarkFuse, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy for the purpose of review.