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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Choice in Books

Aug 29, 2020  
The Choice
The Choice
Alex Lake | 2020 | Crime, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
My exact words when I finished this book ... "Wow - that was good!"

This is sold as being "The gripping new thriller you won’t be able to put down!" and I am going to have to agree ... I wasn't able to put it down and read it way too late into the night but it was worth it. From the very first to the very last page, there is no let up and it grabs you, throws you around and doesn't let go.

I loved everything about it - the characters, the plot, the pace, the writing style - everything and it's not often I say that. The only "complaint" I have is that it is so good, I found myself reading it faster and faster because I was desperate to find out where the next twist and turn would take me so I ended up finishing it way too quickly and felt sad when it had ended.

I have read a couple of books by Alex Lake previously "Seven Days" and "Copy Cat" and this is by far the best one yet and I very much look forward to reading the next which is due out in 2021 - a sneak peak of which I found at the end of The Choice.

Thanks must go to HarperCollinsUK, HarperFiction via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
Nothing to Lose (Ziba MacKenzie, #2)
Nothing to Lose (Ziba MacKenzie, #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
He’s looking for his next victim. She looks just like his last.
Primrose Hill, London. Offender Profiler Ziba MacKenzie arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder with a disturbing sense of déjà vu. Nine days earlier, another woman’s body was found: same location, same MO, same physical appearance. For the police, it’s clear a new serial killer is on the loose. But for Ziba, it’s even more sinister—because the victims look just like her.
Ziba has been the focus of a killer’s interest before, and knows that if she gets too close again this case could be her last. Still, she’s not one to play by the rules—especially when her secret investigation into her husband’s murder begins to attract unwanted attention.
With someone watching her every step, can Ziba uncover what connects the two victims before she becomes one herself?

This the second novel of Ziba MacKenzie and a novel I highly recommend.
Ziba Mackenzie is a freelance profiler who is called in when a woman is murder who resemble her what shocking a early murder of a different woman resemble her to.
I thoroughly enjoyed Nothing to Lose which is an exciting thriller with two strong plot lines.
I found it a gripping read from start to finish.
The characters were believable and well developed, as well as the story.
The plot in this book was really good. It was very cleverly thought out and had me guessing right up to the end.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Nothing to Lose.
  
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ClareR (5950 KP) rated The Scribe in Books

Jul 8, 2019  
The Scribe
The Scribe
A A Chaudhuri | 2019 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’ve vacillated between 5 and 6/10, and decided on 6.

I liked this novel about a serial killer who murders female lawyers and butchers them in a most unusual way. It kept me guessing at the identity of the killer until the end, and threw some red herrings in along the way.
What I wasn’t so keen on, was the way in which DCI Jake Carver was portrayed: not very quick on the uptake, relying heavily on the brains of Madeline Kramer who went to the Bloomsbury Academy of Law with the victims. I have no problems with Maddy being involved with solving the crimes, but at the expense of Carvers ability - not so keen.
I do feel that the story was rushed, but this may have been an effect of the serialisation on The Pigeonhole (the book was split into 10 parts over 10 days). If I’d had the actual book, I would have read it in 2 or 3 sittings.
What I didn’t like at all was the general bitchiness of the female characters towards one another. Frankly, the murdered women deserved their grisly ends. Are women who work in high profile jobs in the City really like this? If they are, I’m glad I don’t work there!
In conclusion, this is a fun, quick read, a bit irreverent in places (women in their 60’s are referred to as elderly - err, I have friends in their late 50s, and they’re anything BUT elderly!), but good for a debut novel. I wish the author good luck with her next book, and many thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing another great book.
  
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Mary Ellen Mark recommended Ikiru (1952) in Movies (curated)

 
Ikiru (1952)
Ikiru (1952)
1952 | Drama
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"This is a film about a man’s rebirth. It was made in 1952 and is set in Japan’s postwar rebuilding period. Kanji Watanabe is a man trapped in the dreary bureaucracy of his job and life. When his doctor tells him that he has terminal cancer and a short time to live, he decides to change his life. He first tries going out on the town drinking in nightclubs and spending time with a young woman. This is a beautifully seen relationship that soon ends in disappointment. It is not until several poor women come into his office to complain about the terrible conditions in their slum neighborhood that he realizes how he can give his life meaning. In his quiet way, he uses the bureaucratic system he knows so well against itself. In the end he is able to establish a playground for the children of the slum. His selfless action in the last days of his life makes him a hero. At his funeral, his workmates try to claim the creation of the playground as theirs, but when the community show up to pay their respects, there is no doubt who acted for the greater good. For me, one of the most powerful and moving images in the film is the flashback during his wake. In this flashback, we see Kanji from behind, sitting on a swing in the snow in the middle of the playground. This film is about how fleeting life is and how important it is to be personally creative and to live every moment like it is your last."

Source
  
The One (The Selection, #3)
The One (The Selection, #3)
Kiera Cass | 2014 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
8.4 (23 Ratings)
Book Rating
I haven't been this obsessed with a book series since The Hunger Games <3

As the Selection comes to a close, who will be the next princess of Illéa?


**Please be aware of possible spoilers if you have not read The Selection and The Elite**

With rebel attacks at their peak, is anyone safe anymore? Unexpected alliances may be the only hope left for Illéa. Where will Prince Maxon's heart lead him in the end of the Selection?

"The best people all have some kind of scar" - The One

I admit, I did NOT expect to become so obsessed with this series! But once I started, I simply could not put it down. Mercifully, I did not read these until now. Because now I only need to wait a little more than a month for the last book to come out. I have been sick the last few days, and therefore have had ample time to read. The only plus to having a cold. But thanks to my essential oils and books...I feel much better and have been quite entertained! Being that this is the third book in the series I don't want to give away too many spoilers. But let me just say that Kiera Cass did a wonderful job of bringing America's Selection to a close. There are still a few surprises along the way (especially if you DON'T read The Favorite first) and a few of the other characters found a special place in my heart that I previously despised. America's journey from being a poor artist's daughter to a confident, strong, influential woman is inspiring, to say the least. There are many times that she is criticized for speaking the truth and being herself, but she never loses who she is. Instead she uses these experiences to fine tune her character and comes to the realization of what truly matters in life. Although, there were many times that she drove me crazy because she couldn't make up her mind. In the end she always makes the right choice (in my opinion). And even we say it a lot, there is nothing more important than to truly be yourself.

Overall I would not recommend this to young teens. There is a lot of passion and kissing in this series. Parents please use your discretion for this series.
  
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