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Hazel (2934 KP) rated Don't Look Back in Books

May 14, 2023  
Don't Look Back
Don't Look Back
Jo Spain | 2023 | Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I haven't read anything by Jo Spain before but after reading Don't Look Back, I will certainly be keeping my eyes open in the future as I enjoyed this.

Don't Look Back is a twisty thriller with great characters, not all of whom are likeable, and an intriguing plot with some great twists. Be warned, it deals with domestic violence so if this is a trigger, I would steer clear.

Travelling from London to the Caribbean and to Ireland, this is one twisty book that is told at a good pace, from multiple points of view and with some flashbacks. The plot is complicated but it all comes to a satisfying conclusion in the end.

All in all, an enjoyable thriller that kept me reading into the night and I must thank Quercus Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Don't Look Back.
  
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David McK (3425 KP) rated Moriarty: The Devil's Game in Books

Sep 22, 2024 (Updated Sep 22, 2024)  
Moriarty: The Devil's Game
Moriarty: The Devil's Game
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Moriarty, the Napoleon of crime.

Sherlock Holms arch-nemesis.

But what if Moriarty was actually an innocent man and Sherlock a ruthless narcissist who just happens to have some very (very) good PR?

That's pretty much the basis for this audio-drama, which starts with Moriarty developing an equation to tell the future' before being framed for the death of his fiancee, sentenced to death himself, meets Col Sebastian Moran in Newgate, escapes from the same and goes on the run in the criminal underworld of Victorian London in an effort to clear his name.

The result, I found, was surprisingly enjoyable, with loads of 'call-backs' to the Arthur Conan Doyle stories point which it is based (albeit from a different point of view) and numerous characters from the same.

I think I'll be listening to season 2 no too far in the future ...
  
My Not So Perfect Life: A Novel
My Not So Perfect Life: A Novel
Sophie Kinsella | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.7 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
Katie Brenner is doing her best to make it (and fake it) in London. After all, moving to London from her village town in Somerset has always been Katie's dream. But, if Katie's really honest--and not just posting glamorous-but fake-pictures on her Instagram--her life isn't all she'd hoped it be. Her commute is horrendous, and she shares a minuscule flat with two nightmare flatmates. Her job in branding is what Katie always wanted, but she's stuck at the bottom rung of the office ladder. This means she's constantly abused by her beautiful, brilliant boss, Demeter--and that's when she even remember Katie's name. Just when Katie thinks she's making headway: she's attending some meetings at work and sharing ideas, she's invited to drinks with co-workers, and she's met (and felt sparks with) a handsome co-worker, she's fired. Before she knows it, Katie finds herself back on her family farm, helping her dad and stepmom start a glamping business (yes, glamping; surprisingly, this works in the plot). It's far from the dreamy, perfect London life she always envisioned.

I'm not a Sophie Kinsella disciple (I haven't even read the Shopaholic series, don't kill me), but this book was so popular among my Goodreads friends that I couldn't help but pick it up. <i>It's certainly a cute, entertaining read</i>, based mainly on the strength of her main character.

There's something about Katie. She can be irritating, but she's gutsy and smart. She has dreams and goals, and she truly wants to achieve them. She's also insightful and kind. You can't help but be drawn to her and root for her character. It also helps that she's not spoiled, like so many of her co-workers and the people she encounters. While the book may play on the "rich" versus "poor" dichotomy a bit much, it's clear that Katie is fairly grounded, and you like her all the more for it.

The book certainly has some comedic moments, which I wasn't completely expecting, and Katie even has a bit of a dry wit. Things definitely move along in a bit of a cliched fashion sometimes, with Katie's realizations about life coming a tad too easily at moments. Still, there's a little twist in the plot that I didn't see coming that engages you and keeps the last quarter of the novel moving quite briskly.

Overall, the book winds up all its loose ends way too easily, but, of course, you really wouldn't have it any other way. I found myself grinning goofily in a few parts, because I'm totally a sucker for stories like these sometimes. Katie is endearing, her romance is fun, and the plot moves quickly and easily. This was an enjoyable, breezy read, and I'm glad I picked it up. 3.5 stars.

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