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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Watching You (Berger & Blom #1) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This the first book in Berger and Blom series, and it was my first encounter with Swedish noir.
At the beginning of this book, I had no idea what was going on and what are they trying to figure out. There were only little clues, that a 15-year-old girl is missing. As the story progressed, I started to see, that Sam Berger, is the main detective, trying to solve this case. The characters in this book are really entwined with each other and very mysterious at the same time. There is a lot of secret work going on, which is uncovered throughout the book, and it was very pleasantly unexpected for me.
The narrative is told from multiple perspectives, and the events keep traveling to the past, to share some of the secrets with a reader. Even though the beginning of this book is quite dull, once it reaches around 40 % it spikes up drastically. The whole narrative gets a different perspective and is way more interesting, so do not give up on this book, wait for those juicy twists. The main issue discussed in this book is bullying, and how it can scar people for life.
The setting of this book is very dark and gloomy, giving this book this cold and shadowy feeling. The writing style is pleasant to read, however, it has these Swedish place and street names which were kind of hard to read… (So I just skipped them) The chapters are a decent length and did not bore me. I really liked the suspense in this novel and I really loved the culmination as well. Even though there are clues of where it is headed and who the “Bad guy “ is, the reasoning behind it, was what really got my curiosity. So, to conclude, it was a very dark and intriguing read for me, filled with plot changing turns and very unique events. I do recommend to give this book a try if you have enough patience. It’s worth a wait, I think. Enjoy
At the beginning of this book, I had no idea what was going on and what are they trying to figure out. There were only little clues, that a 15-year-old girl is missing. As the story progressed, I started to see, that Sam Berger, is the main detective, trying to solve this case. The characters in this book are really entwined with each other and very mysterious at the same time. There is a lot of secret work going on, which is uncovered throughout the book, and it was very pleasantly unexpected for me.
The narrative is told from multiple perspectives, and the events keep traveling to the past, to share some of the secrets with a reader. Even though the beginning of this book is quite dull, once it reaches around 40 % it spikes up drastically. The whole narrative gets a different perspective and is way more interesting, so do not give up on this book, wait for those juicy twists. The main issue discussed in this book is bullying, and how it can scar people for life.
The setting of this book is very dark and gloomy, giving this book this cold and shadowy feeling. The writing style is pleasant to read, however, it has these Swedish place and street names which were kind of hard to read… (So I just skipped them) The chapters are a decent length and did not bore me. I really liked the suspense in this novel and I really loved the culmination as well. Even though there are clues of where it is headed and who the “Bad guy “ is, the reasoning behind it, was what really got my curiosity. So, to conclude, it was a very dark and intriguing read for me, filled with plot changing turns and very unique events. I do recommend to give this book a try if you have enough patience. It’s worth a wait, I think. Enjoy
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Unmaking of Ellie Rook in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this novel was Ellie, and the whole story was told from her perspective. Ellie comes back to her hometown after the news, that her mother drowned. But as I was going through the pages, it was clear, that Rook family is a very dysfunctional one, hiding many horrible secrets. I really liked the way the author chose her characters, they all have a story to tell, they all are interesting and play very important parts in this book. I liked the way Ellie opened up and shared her story throughout the pages. She seemed fearless but used to crumble after her father’s words. I think she represents many of those, who grew up with abusive, controlling parent.
The narrative was very fast paced, and every chapter allowed to see a little bit more of Ellie’s past, and what shaped her to be the way she is now. The topics covered in this book were emotional and physical abuse, bullying, teenage romance, controlling behaviour and many more. This book has some very cleverly written surprises and twists and was an easy and pleasant read for me.
The atmosphere of this book is very dark, gloomy and messy, filled with scrap cars, crows, and violence. I liked the writing style of this novel, it was complex and layered. The chapters were short, and the ending of this book left me very satisfied indeed. Even though a single perspective was sufficient for me, I would’ve liked to read Imelda’s thoughts as well. I don’t really know how I feel about all that folk story about Finella, it adds a nice touch to the story, but making it a core of this book wasn’t really necessary.
So, to conclude, it is a really good domestic noir, filled with complex characters and difficult situations. I really enjoyed this book and the topics it discussed, and I recommend it to people who are looking for a quick but important read. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. 🙂
The narrative was very fast paced, and every chapter allowed to see a little bit more of Ellie’s past, and what shaped her to be the way she is now. The topics covered in this book were emotional and physical abuse, bullying, teenage romance, controlling behaviour and many more. This book has some very cleverly written surprises and twists and was an easy and pleasant read for me.
The atmosphere of this book is very dark, gloomy and messy, filled with scrap cars, crows, and violence. I liked the writing style of this novel, it was complex and layered. The chapters were short, and the ending of this book left me very satisfied indeed. Even though a single perspective was sufficient for me, I would’ve liked to read Imelda’s thoughts as well. I don’t really know how I feel about all that folk story about Finella, it adds a nice touch to the story, but making it a core of this book wasn’t really necessary.
So, to conclude, it is a really good domestic noir, filled with complex characters and difficult situations. I really enjoyed this book and the topics it discussed, and I recommend it to people who are looking for a quick but important read. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. 🙂
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Rocket: The Blue River Score in Books
Nov 30, 2020
I have to confess: I went into this one with low expectations, largely due to trying to read the previous Rocket outing, Matthew Rosenberg's ROCKET RACCOON: GROUNDED! That book was just depressing as hell, and every character in it just felt wholly out-of-character, as if Rosenberg no flarking clue as to who the characters actually were and how they were SUPPOSED to behave! Fortunately, my pre-"low expectations" were ill-placed, as Trash Panda's outing was as far from the depressing wreck that Rosenberg churned out!
Yes, first and foremost, it was a Rocket Raccoon story, but it was also so much more. It felt not unlike SMOKIN' ACES or SNATCH...only on another planet, with aliens and an augmented raccoon! Writer Al Ewing is clearly a fan of pulp noir novels, and it shows throughout. Ah, if only Marvel would realize what a great film this mini would make!
If you like the wise-cracking, sometimes edgy wit of RR - basically, the RR of the MCU - then this is a book for you! Rocket has a great scheme in here, as well as some good intentions, all of which amounts to a double-cross and an ending that effectively resolves everything with a somewhat bittersweet ending. Bravo, Mr. Ewing! I truly hope Marvel lets him helm another RR solo mini!
And, if that does happen, allowed for another Ewing-helmed outing with RR, I hope that brings along artist Adam Gorham and colorist Michael Garland. Those two brought this fun li'l space heist to life ever so well! I was a big fan of Sara Pichelli's GOTG art for Rocket, but as good as she was, I feel these two were just as good, if not better! Definitely artists (and colorists) to keep an eye out for!
End of the day, you could do a whole lot worse that reading ROCKET: THE BLUE RIVE SCORE. *cough* CIVIL WAR II *cough* Bendis' ALL-NEW X-MEN run *cough cough*
Yes, first and foremost, it was a Rocket Raccoon story, but it was also so much more. It felt not unlike SMOKIN' ACES or SNATCH...only on another planet, with aliens and an augmented raccoon! Writer Al Ewing is clearly a fan of pulp noir novels, and it shows throughout. Ah, if only Marvel would realize what a great film this mini would make!
If you like the wise-cracking, sometimes edgy wit of RR - basically, the RR of the MCU - then this is a book for you! Rocket has a great scheme in here, as well as some good intentions, all of which amounts to a double-cross and an ending that effectively resolves everything with a somewhat bittersweet ending. Bravo, Mr. Ewing! I truly hope Marvel lets him helm another RR solo mini!
And, if that does happen, allowed for another Ewing-helmed outing with RR, I hope that brings along artist Adam Gorham and colorist Michael Garland. Those two brought this fun li'l space heist to life ever so well! I was a big fan of Sara Pichelli's GOTG art for Rocket, but as good as she was, I feel these two were just as good, if not better! Definitely artists (and colorists) to keep an eye out for!
End of the day, you could do a whole lot worse that reading ROCKET: THE BLUE RIVE SCORE. *cough* CIVIL WAR II *cough* Bendis' ALL-NEW X-MEN run *cough cough*
A refreshing take on superheroes
I’ve never read the comics, so took a punt on this as it’s been recommended by a few of my friends, and i absolutely loved it.
It’s the perfect antidote to the homely, suitable for kids superhero films like Marvel that bombard our screens every year. Instead The Boys is rude, crude, dark and downright hilarious at times. It’s full of blood and gore too that you’d never find anywhere near any Marvel films. There’s something beyond refreshing watching a show with superheroes behaving badly like villains, and the take on superheroes being owned and represented by a massive corporation is rather brilliant. You can almost imagine that this is how superheroes would turn out if they lived in today’s society.
This has a great cast too, and there are some wonderful performances in this. I adore Karl Urban and he’s good in this, although I feel like he’s let down a little by the fact that they’ve made him a cliched cockney. Antony Starr is seriously creepy and yet charming as Homelander, and he was great to watch. Although my favourite had to be Chace Crawford as The Deep. I feel like he was a little under-utilised in the main plot, but he provided some of the funniest scenes in the entire series and I really wanted to see more of him.
The ending was good and a nice reveal, although I wanted more and felt like it ended maybe a little too abruptly. Aside from Karl Urban’s English accent, the superhero names grate a little after a while because they are super cheesy and cringey (which I’m assuming they’re meant to be). And I felt like the character of Black Noir was a complete mystery and whilst this may be intentional, I do there has been a little bit more of him.
Aside from these little niggles though, this is a refreshingly entertaining series. So much so I’d love to watch a second series, like now.
It’s the perfect antidote to the homely, suitable for kids superhero films like Marvel that bombard our screens every year. Instead The Boys is rude, crude, dark and downright hilarious at times. It’s full of blood and gore too that you’d never find anywhere near any Marvel films. There’s something beyond refreshing watching a show with superheroes behaving badly like villains, and the take on superheroes being owned and represented by a massive corporation is rather brilliant. You can almost imagine that this is how superheroes would turn out if they lived in today’s society.
This has a great cast too, and there are some wonderful performances in this. I adore Karl Urban and he’s good in this, although I feel like he’s let down a little by the fact that they’ve made him a cliched cockney. Antony Starr is seriously creepy and yet charming as Homelander, and he was great to watch. Although my favourite had to be Chace Crawford as The Deep. I feel like he was a little under-utilised in the main plot, but he provided some of the funniest scenes in the entire series and I really wanted to see more of him.
The ending was good and a nice reveal, although I wanted more and felt like it ended maybe a little too abruptly. Aside from Karl Urban’s English accent, the superhero names grate a little after a while because they are super cheesy and cringey (which I’m assuming they’re meant to be). And I felt like the character of Black Noir was a complete mystery and whilst this may be intentional, I do there has been a little bit more of him.
Aside from these little niggles though, this is a refreshingly entertaining series. So much so I’d love to watch a second series, like now.
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Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Pretty Ugly Lies in Books
Jun 5, 2019
In “Pretty Ugly Lies” Pamela Crane reveals the lives of four very different women in this dramatic, intimate domestic noir, of which I could not put down, especially upon opening the book to suddenly discover how someone is killing a whole family!
As the story unravelled I found myself really keen to find out who had murdered not just the husband but the kids in such a horrific way! We hear, through the voices of four women, Jo Trubeau, Ellie Harper, Shayla Kensington and June Merrigan, how their seemingly unconnected lives and problems eventually intertwine in this cleverly written tale of domestic bliss gone wrong.
We also hear the evil thoughts of the kidnapper and for me that made this read even more entertaining, sending chills down my spine!
Overall, Pretty Ugly Lies raises some series issues, from kidnapping a child, stalking, and infidelity, to marriage breakdowns, autism, and suicidal thoughts. There’s certainly a huge amount of problems within these girl’s lives and the neighbourhood they live in. I wouldn’t want to live there, however affluent it looked on the outside.
If you love a book full of some pretty ugly lies, then the killer secrets and domestic misery within this dark thriller will have you double checking what’s lurking in the shadows as you read! Not to mention checking where your kids are. A powerful statement of how a twisted, disfigured need for love can evolve into a terrible tragedy with disastrous consequences!
Oh, and as a side-note, I loved how, at the very end of this story, Pamela’s daughter Talia (7) wrote her own version of “The Girl Who Got Kidnapped” and why! It’s such a cute, Grimm Fairy Tale like story, (totally different to the actual book) and pretty well written for such a young age. I can safely put money on Talia definitely following in her mum’s footsteps as a writer herself! I hope I get to see that day!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.
As the story unravelled I found myself really keen to find out who had murdered not just the husband but the kids in such a horrific way! We hear, through the voices of four women, Jo Trubeau, Ellie Harper, Shayla Kensington and June Merrigan, how their seemingly unconnected lives and problems eventually intertwine in this cleverly written tale of domestic bliss gone wrong.
We also hear the evil thoughts of the kidnapper and for me that made this read even more entertaining, sending chills down my spine!
Overall, Pretty Ugly Lies raises some series issues, from kidnapping a child, stalking, and infidelity, to marriage breakdowns, autism, and suicidal thoughts. There’s certainly a huge amount of problems within these girl’s lives and the neighbourhood they live in. I wouldn’t want to live there, however affluent it looked on the outside.
If you love a book full of some pretty ugly lies, then the killer secrets and domestic misery within this dark thriller will have you double checking what’s lurking in the shadows as you read! Not to mention checking where your kids are. A powerful statement of how a twisted, disfigured need for love can evolve into a terrible tragedy with disastrous consequences!
Oh, and as a side-note, I loved how, at the very end of this story, Pamela’s daughter Talia (7) wrote her own version of “The Girl Who Got Kidnapped” and why! It’s such a cute, Grimm Fairy Tale like story, (totally different to the actual book) and pretty well written for such a young age. I can safely put money on Talia definitely following in her mum’s footsteps as a writer herself! I hope I get to see that day!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.
FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated Gate 76 in Books
Jun 1, 2018
Oozing With Tension
In the right place at the right time, boxer turned private eye Freddy Ferguson catches sight of some very wrong people in an airport security line just before a flight explodes at the San Francisco International Airport.
And even though he's been contracted to go through passenger lists as part of the B team hired by the airline, Freddy can't help but follow up on what he'd witnessed on that deadly night when an enigmatic blonde woman escaped certain death by checking in only to change her appearance in an airport bathroom rather than get on that flight. Is she a part of a bigger conspiracy or merely the last living witness of a horrific crime?
Stylistically reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and Elmore Leonard with its no-nonsense first person point-of-view, indie author Andrew Diamond's Noir flavored page turner is terse, strong, and oozing with tension.
But while Freddy's redemptive plight is fascinating indeed, the otherwise terrific Gate 76 makes a few missteps in its final third as – instead of zeroing in on its increasingly complicated Grisham level mystery – one of its female leads begins to preach at Freddy, and therefore the reader. And even though I appreciate the book's bold characterization and vivid description, moments like this are not only the opposite of subtle but they also pull focus away from the main storyline.
Juggling a large number of characters to the point that in the end, Freddy has to phone a few to literally tell them and the reader what is going on, Gate 76 might've worked even better if it had cut down on some of the middle-men to avoid the repetition of needing to explain something we've already figured out alongside our lead.
From its dynamic opening that plays just like an action movie, Gate 76 is a largely effective and entertaining thriller. With his keen sense of humor, eye for details, and ability to weave together an intricate number of subplots with style, this was a great introduction for me to Andrew Diamond and makes me eager to pick up some of his other reads.
Note: I received an ARC of this title via Bookish First in exchange for my honest opinion.
And even though he's been contracted to go through passenger lists as part of the B team hired by the airline, Freddy can't help but follow up on what he'd witnessed on that deadly night when an enigmatic blonde woman escaped certain death by checking in only to change her appearance in an airport bathroom rather than get on that flight. Is she a part of a bigger conspiracy or merely the last living witness of a horrific crime?
Stylistically reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and Elmore Leonard with its no-nonsense first person point-of-view, indie author Andrew Diamond's Noir flavored page turner is terse, strong, and oozing with tension.
But while Freddy's redemptive plight is fascinating indeed, the otherwise terrific Gate 76 makes a few missteps in its final third as – instead of zeroing in on its increasingly complicated Grisham level mystery – one of its female leads begins to preach at Freddy, and therefore the reader. And even though I appreciate the book's bold characterization and vivid description, moments like this are not only the opposite of subtle but they also pull focus away from the main storyline.
Juggling a large number of characters to the point that in the end, Freddy has to phone a few to literally tell them and the reader what is going on, Gate 76 might've worked even better if it had cut down on some of the middle-men to avoid the repetition of needing to explain something we've already figured out alongside our lead.
From its dynamic opening that plays just like an action movie, Gate 76 is a largely effective and entertaining thriller. With his keen sense of humor, eye for details, and ability to weave together an intricate number of subplots with style, this was a great introduction for me to Andrew Diamond and makes me eager to pick up some of his other reads.
Note: I received an ARC of this title via Bookish First in exchange for my honest opinion.
Debbiereadsbook (1197 KP) rated Femme Faux Fatale (Dreamspun Desires #70) in Books
Nov 30, 2018
really rather enjoyed this
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Cain is hired by Ms Astor to find her husband, along with a Rodin statuette. But things don't add up to Cain, and he visits the club she works at to talk to her some more. Lily Lavender is on stage, and she pushes all kinds of buttons that Cain never knew he needed pushing. Riley, the man behind Lily, has a similar reaction to Cain. But Riley is keeping secrets, secrets that have gotten two people killed and Cain needs to know, if they are to get out of this alive.
I really rather enjoyed this!
It's got instant and powerful attraction, it's got steam and passion, it's got a nutty woman, it's got so many levels of secrets! It's deadly too.
Told from both Cain and Riley's point of view, in the third, so we get each and every reaction from both men. Reactions to each other, to the situation around them, to Riley's cross dressing and to Cain very unexpected reaction to that.
Loved Cain's reaction to Riley's cross dressing. It's clear Riley has been treated badly in the past because of that, but Cain is like, AND??? It's part of who Riley is, and Cain just takes it as it is, as Riley is. Cain does, admittedly, rather like Riley in his ladies knickers and stockings, so that helped!
There is a rather long winded conversation between Riley and Cain about pulp fiction and noir films (I think!) bit I got lost with that, mostly because I have no clue what they were talking about, so I glanced over that bit!
I did like the twist as to what was really in the statuettes, and where that led the plot, and just what Ms Astor had, rather that what she THOUGHT she had.
Not quite a one sitting read, but I did stay til after midnight to finish it, when I had a 6am get up!
I've read one other by Ms Laine, I'd like to read some more. She has a way of grabbing you and pulling you in.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Cain is hired by Ms Astor to find her husband, along with a Rodin statuette. But things don't add up to Cain, and he visits the club she works at to talk to her some more. Lily Lavender is on stage, and she pushes all kinds of buttons that Cain never knew he needed pushing. Riley, the man behind Lily, has a similar reaction to Cain. But Riley is keeping secrets, secrets that have gotten two people killed and Cain needs to know, if they are to get out of this alive.
I really rather enjoyed this!
It's got instant and powerful attraction, it's got steam and passion, it's got a nutty woman, it's got so many levels of secrets! It's deadly too.
Told from both Cain and Riley's point of view, in the third, so we get each and every reaction from both men. Reactions to each other, to the situation around them, to Riley's cross dressing and to Cain very unexpected reaction to that.
Loved Cain's reaction to Riley's cross dressing. It's clear Riley has been treated badly in the past because of that, but Cain is like, AND??? It's part of who Riley is, and Cain just takes it as it is, as Riley is. Cain does, admittedly, rather like Riley in his ladies knickers and stockings, so that helped!
There is a rather long winded conversation between Riley and Cain about pulp fiction and noir films (I think!) bit I got lost with that, mostly because I have no clue what they were talking about, so I glanced over that bit!
I did like the twist as to what was really in the statuettes, and where that led the plot, and just what Ms Astor had, rather that what she THOUGHT she had.
Not quite a one sitting read, but I did stay til after midnight to finish it, when I had a 6am get up!
I've read one other by Ms Laine, I'd like to read some more. She has a way of grabbing you and pulling you in.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**