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Kyera (8 KP) rated Batman: Nightwalker - DC Icons Book 2 in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Batman: Nightwalker gives us an origin story for the Caped Crusader that we didn't know we needed - even if it doesn't feel like the dark, gritty Batman we know from the Dark Knight or the comics. Bruce is an eighteen-year-old boy who is still trying to figure out who he is in a world where his parents were murdered when he was a child and he has just come into their vast fortune. He struggles to figure out how to live up to his parents' legacy and finds himself in a dangerous situation.
If you go into this book expecting Batman, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. This is a teenaged boy who is realizing that he wants to do more for his city and is coming to the conclusion that Bruce Wayne might not be enough. This book is his real origin story and Marie Lu brings his transformation back to its roots. We meet the boy who will one day become Batman, not the man we are familiar with as the Dark Knight.
I really enjoyed getting to know young Bruce in this story, although Alfred certainly stole the show. You could feel the bond that they had with one another, which translated so much more authentically than some of the other relationships in the story. I felt that Diane and Harvey were a little underdeveloped in the story, so I never really formed a connection with them. I really enjoyed the little cameos from characters we're familiar with and the characterization of people that we know are much more important in the Batman mythology in later years.
Superhero books are definitely difficult to write because they're so action heavy and as a result, visual, but I feel that Lu managed to capture the kinesthetic nature of the book well. She definitely delved more into Batman's detective nature, which was really nice because we don't see that as often as his fighting bad guys schtick. If you're interested in seeing the detective Batman dig into mysteries and try to foil a criminal organization than you should enjoy this book - just don't expect giant action-packed fight scenes.
I have really enjoyed the DC Icons series thus far because it brings the characters we've grown familiar with back to their roots. They're teenagers who are still figuring out who they are in the world, regardless of their future superhero journey. They are fragile and unsure, yet with a thirst for justice that one day will allow them to grow into the superheroes we know and love.
If you go into this book expecting Batman, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. This is a teenaged boy who is realizing that he wants to do more for his city and is coming to the conclusion that Bruce Wayne might not be enough. This book is his real origin story and Marie Lu brings his transformation back to its roots. We meet the boy who will one day become Batman, not the man we are familiar with as the Dark Knight.
I really enjoyed getting to know young Bruce in this story, although Alfred certainly stole the show. You could feel the bond that they had with one another, which translated so much more authentically than some of the other relationships in the story. I felt that Diane and Harvey were a little underdeveloped in the story, so I never really formed a connection with them. I really enjoyed the little cameos from characters we're familiar with and the characterization of people that we know are much more important in the Batman mythology in later years.
Superhero books are definitely difficult to write because they're so action heavy and as a result, visual, but I feel that Lu managed to capture the kinesthetic nature of the book well. She definitely delved more into Batman's detective nature, which was really nice because we don't see that as often as his fighting bad guys schtick. If you're interested in seeing the detective Batman dig into mysteries and try to foil a criminal organization than you should enjoy this book - just don't expect giant action-packed fight scenes.
I have really enjoyed the DC Icons series thus far because it brings the characters we've grown familiar with back to their roots. They're teenagers who are still figuring out who they are in the world, regardless of their future superhero journey. They are fragile and unsure, yet with a thirst for justice that one day will allow them to grow into the superheroes we know and love.
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated To Touch You (Mates #4) in Books
Jan 21, 2018
a fitting end
I purchased both the ebook, AND audio copy of this book (November 2017)
This is book 4 in The Mates Series, and the last one. You don't need to have read the other three, but there is some overlap with books one, Wake Me Up Inside and book 3, In Your Eyes, so there may be spoilers, sorta, kinda.
Yoram Smith is 7 years old when he first meets Salvatore Rossi, and he knows nothing but the pull of his scent. Sal is, in Yoram's eyes, his friend. It takes a turning of Sal to vampire and over 20 years before Sal finally admits that Yoram is his mate.
I LOVED this final installment in the Mates series! I really did. But I can't split the narration from the book, so the lines might be a bit blurred on this one.
I read this book, in December 2017, and I was going through a rough patch, so didn't actually write a review for it, then the audio came through the blog for review, and I had credits available, so I grabbed it. SO glad I did!
I loved Charlie David's narration, his voices especially. Yoram is 7 when we first meet him, and I was curious how David would change his voice as he grew. Nailed that one, I tell ya! At7, at 14 and as a full groan Yoram, his voice is the same but different, if that makes any sense? I could tell it was Yoram at every step of the way.
And trust me, it's a very long way these two took to finally get together! Sal doesn't fully understand the workings of being a vampire, he finds no joy in feeding and certainly not socialising with them, but he HAS to feed. Until the blood turns up on his doorstep, and THAT blood is different. Takes him a while to figure out where it's coming from!
I loved that Zev and Jonah ( book 1) and Samuel and Korban (book 3) play a part here, but I especially loved that Ethan and Miguel are a HUGE part of this book. When I read this, I could hear the voices of these guys but they weren't right, not at all. So it was great to be able to catch up with them here.
I loved that, once Sal finally dug his head out the sand and returned to Yoram, he was all in, totally and utterly.
Like I said, I can't really split the narration from the book, so
5 stars all round!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 4 in The Mates Series, and the last one. You don't need to have read the other three, but there is some overlap with books one, Wake Me Up Inside and book 3, In Your Eyes, so there may be spoilers, sorta, kinda.
Yoram Smith is 7 years old when he first meets Salvatore Rossi, and he knows nothing but the pull of his scent. Sal is, in Yoram's eyes, his friend. It takes a turning of Sal to vampire and over 20 years before Sal finally admits that Yoram is his mate.
I LOVED this final installment in the Mates series! I really did. But I can't split the narration from the book, so the lines might be a bit blurred on this one.
I read this book, in December 2017, and I was going through a rough patch, so didn't actually write a review for it, then the audio came through the blog for review, and I had credits available, so I grabbed it. SO glad I did!
I loved Charlie David's narration, his voices especially. Yoram is 7 when we first meet him, and I was curious how David would change his voice as he grew. Nailed that one, I tell ya! At7, at 14 and as a full groan Yoram, his voice is the same but different, if that makes any sense? I could tell it was Yoram at every step of the way.
And trust me, it's a very long way these two took to finally get together! Sal doesn't fully understand the workings of being a vampire, he finds no joy in feeding and certainly not socialising with them, but he HAS to feed. Until the blood turns up on his doorstep, and THAT blood is different. Takes him a while to figure out where it's coming from!
I loved that Zev and Jonah ( book 1) and Samuel and Korban (book 3) play a part here, but I especially loved that Ethan and Miguel are a HUGE part of this book. When I read this, I could hear the voices of these guys but they weren't right, not at all. So it was great to be able to catch up with them here.
I loved that, once Sal finally dug his head out the sand and returned to Yoram, he was all in, totally and utterly.
Like I said, I can't really split the narration from the book, so
5 stars all round!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
As a worker tears apart an old house under construction in London, he makes an unsettling discovery: tiny bones. The police believe they belong to a baby who was buried years earlier. The story catches the eye of journalist Kate Waters, who immediately wants to determine the child's identity. Her research leads her to a missing child from several decades in the past: a stolen baby, who was never found. Kate finds herself drawn into the missing baby's case and the lives of several women: Angela, a mother who had her baby stolen many years ago; Emma, who once lived on the block where the baby's bones were found; and Jude, Emma's mother.
I really enjoyed Barton's previous novel, The Widow, and I have to say that THE CHILD did not disappoint. It's hard exactly to describe her books, but they have some sort of power over you, drawing you into their narrative and making it difficult to come back to reality until you've reached the end. Much like THE WIDOW, we're presented with a cast of disparate characters-not all of whom are particularly likeable. I hadn't realized, for some reason, that THE CHILD would feature Kate again--a journalist we previously met in Barton's earlier book. I found Kate a much more engaging protagonist this time around: she came across as more human and flawed.
Otherwise, the novel focuses on timid, depressed Emma and her difficult relationship with her mother, Jude, who kicked Emma out of the house at the sixteen. Each woman has a turn at the narration, as does Angela, who is still reeling from having her baby stolen from the hospital (and never found). Barton does a skillful job weaving their stories together. Everything unfolds in bits and pieces as the tale progresses in the eyes of each of our narrators. For me, it was extremely riveting: just as one shocking piece came out, another one would fall into place.
Barton also gives us an excellent look into the journalism business, with a focus on how Kate writes her stories, with a strong emphasis on real (face-to-face, non-Internet-based) research. We see firsthand how the current social media craze is affecting the newspaper world. It's refreshing, as we get to basically see a crime/story solved, yet not necessarily through the lens of a typical police drama.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I figured out parts of it as it went along, but found it to be a very compelling read. Definitely worth picking up.
I really enjoyed Barton's previous novel, The Widow, and I have to say that THE CHILD did not disappoint. It's hard exactly to describe her books, but they have some sort of power over you, drawing you into their narrative and making it difficult to come back to reality until you've reached the end. Much like THE WIDOW, we're presented with a cast of disparate characters-not all of whom are particularly likeable. I hadn't realized, for some reason, that THE CHILD would feature Kate again--a journalist we previously met in Barton's earlier book. I found Kate a much more engaging protagonist this time around: she came across as more human and flawed.
Otherwise, the novel focuses on timid, depressed Emma and her difficult relationship with her mother, Jude, who kicked Emma out of the house at the sixteen. Each woman has a turn at the narration, as does Angela, who is still reeling from having her baby stolen from the hospital (and never found). Barton does a skillful job weaving their stories together. Everything unfolds in bits and pieces as the tale progresses in the eyes of each of our narrators. For me, it was extremely riveting: just as one shocking piece came out, another one would fall into place.
Barton also gives us an excellent look into the journalism business, with a focus on how Kate writes her stories, with a strong emphasis on real (face-to-face, non-Internet-based) research. We see firsthand how the current social media craze is affecting the newspaper world. It's refreshing, as we get to basically see a crime/story solved, yet not necessarily through the lens of a typical police drama.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I figured out parts of it as it went along, but found it to be a very compelling read. Definitely worth picking up.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Broken Harbor in Books
Feb 13, 2018
The fourth book in French's excellent Dublin Murder Squad series picks up with [b:Faithful Place|7093952|Faithful Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #3)|Tana French|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1291165900s/7093952.jpg|7350661]'s Mick Kennedy. Scorcher, as he's known, is a by-the-book cop famous for his diligence, attitude, and solve rate. However, he's still trying to make amends for one case, so he's given this one - a family found in an estate in the Irish suburbs. Father Patrick and the two children are dead, while mother/wife Jenny is in critical condition at the hospital. At first, Scorcher and his rookie partner, Richie, think the case is open and shut. But they quickly discover things aren't what they seem--with the Spains themselves or the murder case. Why are there holes all over the family's home, and baby monitors and cameras everywhere? Who erased the family's computer? Why did Jenny pull their young son out of preschool? Scorcher finds himself on a case that will test his resolve and the morals he holds so dearly.
This was an superb book; I don't know how French does it, but her novels never disappoint. It's a bit slow going, but amazingly interesting. Her painstaking detail of a crime scene and murder investigation is thorough and somehow beautiful; she knows her stuff. The first person detail with Mick is a welcome relief, honestly, after the "varying POV" chapters that seem to be the method du jour lately (I know the book is a few years old, but still). Mick is a crazily complex character and hearing his innermost thoughts just adds to his depth.
I won't lie: the book is long and it's probably not for everyone. You need to be a mystery fan and not be thrown off by a main character who talks and shares a lot. There's a dynamic between Mick and his new partner that adds to this detail and character development. Further, Mick and his family have a tie to Broken Harbor (the site of the murder), which involves some flashbacks. Again, it adds length, but also to the depth of his character. Plus, the plot kept me guessing, which I really appreciated. It would have been an easy 4.5 star rating, but it dived a little with the ending and a move that seemed a bit out of character for Mick, but still - an excellent mystery with a detailed and thoughtful plot. I'm glad I've picked up French's series again and look forward to getting completely caught up.
This was an superb book; I don't know how French does it, but her novels never disappoint. It's a bit slow going, but amazingly interesting. Her painstaking detail of a crime scene and murder investigation is thorough and somehow beautiful; she knows her stuff. The first person detail with Mick is a welcome relief, honestly, after the "varying POV" chapters that seem to be the method du jour lately (I know the book is a few years old, but still). Mick is a crazily complex character and hearing his innermost thoughts just adds to his depth.
I won't lie: the book is long and it's probably not for everyone. You need to be a mystery fan and not be thrown off by a main character who talks and shares a lot. There's a dynamic between Mick and his new partner that adds to this detail and character development. Further, Mick and his family have a tie to Broken Harbor (the site of the murder), which involves some flashbacks. Again, it adds length, but also to the depth of his character. Plus, the plot kept me guessing, which I really appreciated. It would have been an easy 4.5 star rating, but it dived a little with the ending and a move that seemed a bit out of character for Mick, but still - an excellent mystery with a detailed and thoughtful plot. I'm glad I've picked up French's series again and look forward to getting completely caught up.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Girl in The Tower: The Winternight Trilogy in Books
Mar 22, 2018
The Girl in the Tower is the second in the Winternight Trilogy, after the acclaimed debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale. It's always hard to talk about sequels without giving too much away about the preceding books, so forgive me if I'm vague. One advantage to waiting so long to read The Bear and the Nightingale was that I got to jump straight into the sequel! Now I have to several months for the third.
The Girl in the Tower revisits our heroine, Vasya, from the first book. Now she has left home to begin her adventures - though her travels are curtailed pretty quickly, and she's roped into going to Moscow with her brother and the Grand Prince, while disguised as a boy. While in Moscow she learns a little bit more about her family history, and I'm hoping the rest will be revealed in the third book this summer. (The Winter of the Witch is scheduled to release in August 2018.)
In this second book, Vasya has done some growing, and has learned to make use of the spirits she sees - she knows the hearth spirits can always find their families, and uses that trait to track a kidnapped girl when no one else can. So long as no one realizes what she's doing, she's fine. But Rus is in the crossover period between the old ways and the new, and if she's found talking to spirits, she'll be branded a witch all over again. She keeps her masquerade going through the first two-thirds of the book, but it's obvious it's going to fail eventually. The way in which it does is sudden and unexpected, and the repercussions are harsh.
And then there's Morozko, the Frost Demon, the god of death. I love Morozko. He's by necessity enigmatic - and in a rough position. I want he and Vasya to fall in love and have a happy ending - the attraction between them is impossible to miss - but immortal beings, in this world, can't love. If they love they lose their immortality. And, possibly, their lives entirely. I hope the author has a solution in mind for these two, because I currently don't see one.
I actually liked this one more than the first book, which is unusual. I liked the first one, but I wasn't blown away. This one pulled me in and didn't let me go. Amazing sequel, and I hope the third one lives up to this standard!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
The Girl in the Tower revisits our heroine, Vasya, from the first book. Now she has left home to begin her adventures - though her travels are curtailed pretty quickly, and she's roped into going to Moscow with her brother and the Grand Prince, while disguised as a boy. While in Moscow she learns a little bit more about her family history, and I'm hoping the rest will be revealed in the third book this summer. (The Winter of the Witch is scheduled to release in August 2018.)
In this second book, Vasya has done some growing, and has learned to make use of the spirits she sees - she knows the hearth spirits can always find their families, and uses that trait to track a kidnapped girl when no one else can. So long as no one realizes what she's doing, she's fine. But Rus is in the crossover period between the old ways and the new, and if she's found talking to spirits, she'll be branded a witch all over again. She keeps her masquerade going through the first two-thirds of the book, but it's obvious it's going to fail eventually. The way in which it does is sudden and unexpected, and the repercussions are harsh.
And then there's Morozko, the Frost Demon, the god of death. I love Morozko. He's by necessity enigmatic - and in a rough position. I want he and Vasya to fall in love and have a happy ending - the attraction between them is impossible to miss - but immortal beings, in this world, can't love. If they love they lose their immortality. And, possibly, their lives entirely. I hope the author has a solution in mind for these two, because I currently don't see one.
I actually liked this one more than the first book, which is unusual. I liked the first one, but I wasn't blown away. This one pulled me in and didn't let me go. Amazing sequel, and I hope the third one lives up to this standard!
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Dana (24 KP) rated The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #2) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
So I am actually giving this book a 3.5 stars instead of just a three. There are going to be slight spoilers throughout the review, so read at your own peril.
This was a typical second book in a trilogy. It is there to get to the last plot point and explain some background stuff that will most likely be needed in the last book, but it was kinda milk-toast to me.
The relationship between Kestrel and Arin didn't really grow too much until the very last second, but even then it wasn't a huge change. They argue way too much in my opinion. Maybe I am just spoiled with other books, but I didn't feel much romantic tension between the two whenever they were together. I feel like the first book did a much better job at building up the romance, and then this one just crushed it completely. They are however, finally seeing each other's side of the story which is nice. I just wished it had happened sooner.
I hate the emperor, he is a major dick. So is Kestrel's father. I want both of them to suffer in the next book.
I understand that introducing the easterners was important for the conflict to come, but I didn't feel any attachment to the new characters. The queen and her brother were kinda boring and didn't leave much of an impression on me after I read their parts. Maybe they will get more interesting in the next book?
I hated what happened with Jess and Ronan. I understand it was significant in showing that Kestrel has to leave her old life behind and that her friends are not as welcome to change as she is, but it was still not cool what happened to them. I actually really liked Ronan in the first book, but he turned into such an ass.
I enjoyed the last twenty pages of the book more than the rest because I feel like it started to pick up more. There was the inklings of what the next book will focus on and I think it will be a really cool concept.
I know I am mostly harping on the book in this review, but I really did enjoy it. I just liked the first one more than I did this one. I think Kestrel getting a backbone and standing up to the emperor was cool. I loved her friendship with Verex, too. Though I don't think they're endgame, I like them as friends.
I need to read the next book to see what happens!!
This was a typical second book in a trilogy. It is there to get to the last plot point and explain some background stuff that will most likely be needed in the last book, but it was kinda milk-toast to me.
The relationship between Kestrel and Arin didn't really grow too much until the very last second, but even then it wasn't a huge change. They argue way too much in my opinion. Maybe I am just spoiled with other books, but I didn't feel much romantic tension between the two whenever they were together. I feel like the first book did a much better job at building up the romance, and then this one just crushed it completely. They are however, finally seeing each other's side of the story which is nice. I just wished it had happened sooner.
I hate the emperor, he is a major dick. So is Kestrel's father. I want both of them to suffer in the next book.
I understand that introducing the easterners was important for the conflict to come, but I didn't feel any attachment to the new characters. The queen and her brother were kinda boring and didn't leave much of an impression on me after I read their parts. Maybe they will get more interesting in the next book?
I hated what happened with Jess and Ronan. I understand it was significant in showing that Kestrel has to leave her old life behind and that her friends are not as welcome to change as she is, but it was still not cool what happened to them. I actually really liked Ronan in the first book, but he turned into such an ass.
I enjoyed the last twenty pages of the book more than the rest because I feel like it started to pick up more. There was the inklings of what the next book will focus on and I think it will be a really cool concept.
I know I am mostly harping on the book in this review, but I really did enjoy it. I just liked the first one more than I did this one. I think Kestrel getting a backbone and standing up to the emperor was cool. I loved her friendship with Verex, too. Though I don't think they're endgame, I like them as friends.
I need to read the next book to see what happens!!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Shattered in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I'm a huge fan of horror books, so when Shattered by C.S. Kane was offered for review, I knew it was a book I had to read! However, I was really disappointed with this book.
I don't think the title suits the book at all. I don't really understand what is being shattered unless it's talking about Stacey's sanity.
The cover is alright. It is a scene from the book. It took me awhile to realize that the red thing on the cover was a heart pinned to the wall.
I didn't really have any problems with the world building except that it didn't come across as a creepy world. Not once was I the slightest bit scared or creeped out.
I felt the pacing of this book was slow. If it had been a longer book, I probably would've added it to my DNF (did not finish) shelf. It took forever, or so I thought, before the action really started, and when it did, it felt like it wasn't much.
The plot idea itself was a good one but sadly fell flat with poor execution. I would've liked this story to involve more of a haunting with more goings on. This story was poorly lacking I believe.
I found all the characters to be a bit dull and on dimensional. I couldn't connect with Stacey on any level, and I found myself not really caring what happened to her. There's a few other characters that are minor but I felt that they are also just sub par.
The dialogue doesn't feel disjointed or awkward in this novel, so it does have that going for it. The character interactions also flow well. There may be a slight amount of swearing in this book. (To be honest, I was a bit bored with this book, so I just wanted to get to the end). There is some blood and gore as well.
Overall, the idea for Shattered was a good one but was just poorly executed. Personally, I found it to be a bit dull and lacking depth. However, there are some good reviews for this book, so I encourage you to form your own opinion.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
I'd give Shattered by C.S. Kane a 1.75 out of 5.
(I received a free ecopy of this title from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I'm a huge fan of horror books, so when Shattered by C.S. Kane was offered for review, I knew it was a book I had to read! However, I was really disappointed with this book.
I don't think the title suits the book at all. I don't really understand what is being shattered unless it's talking about Stacey's sanity.
The cover is alright. It is a scene from the book. It took me awhile to realize that the red thing on the cover was a heart pinned to the wall.
I didn't really have any problems with the world building except that it didn't come across as a creepy world. Not once was I the slightest bit scared or creeped out.
I felt the pacing of this book was slow. If it had been a longer book, I probably would've added it to my DNF (did not finish) shelf. It took forever, or so I thought, before the action really started, and when it did, it felt like it wasn't much.
The plot idea itself was a good one but sadly fell flat with poor execution. I would've liked this story to involve more of a haunting with more goings on. This story was poorly lacking I believe.
I found all the characters to be a bit dull and on dimensional. I couldn't connect with Stacey on any level, and I found myself not really caring what happened to her. There's a few other characters that are minor but I felt that they are also just sub par.
The dialogue doesn't feel disjointed or awkward in this novel, so it does have that going for it. The character interactions also flow well. There may be a slight amount of swearing in this book. (To be honest, I was a bit bored with this book, so I just wanted to get to the end). There is some blood and gore as well.
Overall, the idea for Shattered was a good one but was just poorly executed. Personally, I found it to be a bit dull and lacking depth. However, there are some good reviews for this book, so I encourage you to form your own opinion.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.
I'd give Shattered by C.S. Kane a 1.75 out of 5.
(I received a free ecopy of this title from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review).
b.Young (97 KP) rated The Hypnotist's Love Story in Books
May 26, 2018
Quick read (2 more)
The ending
Great writing
Contains spoilers, click to show
I read this book because it was picked by my Book Club for our June discussion. I typically do not read books in the romance genre and have never read a book by this author, Liane Moriarty.
The Hypnotist's Love Story was well written and the character development was excellent.
The book is told in two view-points, Ellen's in third person and Saskia's in first person. Suspense and mystery are woven throughout, albiet mildly, and it gives the book a less than romantic feel at some points
The story begins with Ellen, who is a rather sucessful hypnotherapis. She is in her late thrities and single. Although she is quite happy with her life, she longs to have a family of her own. Her past three long-term relationships were less than satisfying so she resorts to using a dating site on the internet to meet someone new.
Enter Patrick. A handsome land surveyor who owns his company and has an 8-year-old son, Jack. His past is much more complicated. He is a widower with an ex-girlfriend that has been stalking him for 3 years!
When Patrick tells Ellen about Saskia, his stalker, she is somewhat intrigued instead of frightened.
Even though Elln seems to be okay with the baggage of a dead wife and a stalker, Patrick and Ellen have a difficult time being a new couple falling in love and their relationship is strained from the get-go.
As Ellen and Patrick are mid-flight to a weekend getaway, Ellen realizes that she has allowed herself to divulge their location to Saskia unknowingly due to the fact that Saskia has been a client of Ellen's while using a false name.
When Ellen decides to reveal big news to Patrick, he does something completely unexpected and Saskia puts herself in the middle of it all.
As the stalking incidents escalate (they are never violent), Patrick's demeanor deteriorates and Ellen is put on edge.
Throughout the book, we learn the reasoning behind Saskia's stalking and by the end of the story, I felt almost sorry for her. Almost. Because through it all, she chose to do the things she did and threw out all other options to persue her failed relationship.
I am relieved to say that it does eventually end with a HEA. I only say that because although I was reading a romance novel and expected an HEA, the suspensful undertones of the book led me to think differently at times.
The Hypnotist's Love Story was well written and the character development was excellent.
The book is told in two view-points, Ellen's in third person and Saskia's in first person. Suspense and mystery are woven throughout, albiet mildly, and it gives the book a less than romantic feel at some points
The story begins with Ellen, who is a rather sucessful hypnotherapis. She is in her late thrities and single. Although she is quite happy with her life, she longs to have a family of her own. Her past three long-term relationships were less than satisfying so she resorts to using a dating site on the internet to meet someone new.
Enter Patrick. A handsome land surveyor who owns his company and has an 8-year-old son, Jack. His past is much more complicated. He is a widower with an ex-girlfriend that has been stalking him for 3 years!
When Patrick tells Ellen about Saskia, his stalker, she is somewhat intrigued instead of frightened.
Even though Elln seems to be okay with the baggage of a dead wife and a stalker, Patrick and Ellen have a difficult time being a new couple falling in love and their relationship is strained from the get-go.
As Ellen and Patrick are mid-flight to a weekend getaway, Ellen realizes that she has allowed herself to divulge their location to Saskia unknowingly due to the fact that Saskia has been a client of Ellen's while using a false name.
When Ellen decides to reveal big news to Patrick, he does something completely unexpected and Saskia puts herself in the middle of it all.
As the stalking incidents escalate (they are never violent), Patrick's demeanor deteriorates and Ellen is put on edge.
Throughout the book, we learn the reasoning behind Saskia's stalking and by the end of the story, I felt almost sorry for her. Almost. Because through it all, she chose to do the things she did and threw out all other options to persue her failed relationship.
I am relieved to say that it does eventually end with a HEA. I only say that because although I was reading a romance novel and expected an HEA, the suspensful undertones of the book led me to think differently at times.
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated No Less Days in Books
May 29, 2018
I won a copy of this book and I didn't know it was Christian Fiction. Definitely not something I would grab for myself to read. I was not turned off by the religious aspects of it though, as most are subtle and not in your face. I tended to glaze over them, which makes me believe this book would have been just as good without them. I won't say they didn't add anything as that's not my place to judge, but I won't judge the book either on parts that I wasn't particularly interested in. I wouldn't judge a mystery on it being mysterious, or a romance for being romantic. So now that we're past that...
The premise of this story is really cool. I admit, it reminded me of that Blake Lively move, Age of Adeline, but WAY better. There was thought here, and it drew me in the second I started reading.
The main focus of the story is that David Galloway cannot die. It should have happened, many times. But nope. Still here... 100 some odd years later and still looking every bit a healthy 35 year old man. We learn a lot of David's history, as well as his present situation, and we wonder: How did he become this way? Are there others like him? Will he ever die? How does he live live without ever aging?
I read this book really fast as I honestly wanted to find out what would happen. Page after page, it kept me riveted. I would give it 5 Stars, but I had some issues with parts of the story. Particularly all the themes going on - some felt really unnecessary. There was a lot of mystery, racial stuff, domestic abuse, love stories, historical references, religion, murders, celebrity, books.... I'm probably missing more. I felt like too much was happening and a lot could be toned down or eliminated. And it's very obviously set up for a sequel, but the way this "strange character" just showed up and then left... felt really disjointed and out of place.
I'm also not a big Speculative Fiction reader as well as the Christian Fiction genre. I would have never bought this book and read it on my own. But that is how you lose certain generalizations about things, and find some of the best stories. I took a chance, and I won :)
I'm happy to have read this book. And I'm pretty sure this is a sequel in the works, and I'll most likely seek that one out to read!
The premise of this story is really cool. I admit, it reminded me of that Blake Lively move, Age of Adeline, but WAY better. There was thought here, and it drew me in the second I started reading.
The main focus of the story is that David Galloway cannot die. It should have happened, many times. But nope. Still here... 100 some odd years later and still looking every bit a healthy 35 year old man. We learn a lot of David's history, as well as his present situation, and we wonder: How did he become this way? Are there others like him? Will he ever die? How does he live live without ever aging?
I read this book really fast as I honestly wanted to find out what would happen. Page after page, it kept me riveted. I would give it 5 Stars, but I had some issues with parts of the story. Particularly all the themes going on - some felt really unnecessary. There was a lot of mystery, racial stuff, domestic abuse, love stories, historical references, religion, murders, celebrity, books.... I'm probably missing more. I felt like too much was happening and a lot could be toned down or eliminated. And it's very obviously set up for a sequel, but the way this "strange character" just showed up and then left... felt really disjointed and out of place.
I'm also not a big Speculative Fiction reader as well as the Christian Fiction genre. I would have never bought this book and read it on my own. But that is how you lose certain generalizations about things, and find some of the best stories. I took a chance, and I won :)
I'm happy to have read this book. And I'm pretty sure this is a sequel in the works, and I'll most likely seek that one out to read!
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Sleep, Merel, Sleep in Books
Aug 21, 2018 (Updated Sep 3, 2018)
Follow me on Instagram to see what I am reading at the moment: @diaryofdifference
This is a story about a little girl called Merel. This is also a story about how Merel one day can’t sleep. This story also happens to be one of the most adorable middle grade stories that I have ever read. Silke Stein did an amazing job in portraying a little girl, and creating a magical world that we see through her eyes.
Merel is a little girl and since her sick baby brother was born, her parents stopped paying attention to her. In a magical world, far, far away, a dream collector plays on a violin and makes children fall asleep. But this one day, the dream collector gives up on Merel’s sleep and leaves his tiny silver violin in her bedroom.
Merel learns that her sleep has abandoned her, and she goes onto an incredible journey to recover the sleep, or to stay awake forever. With many characters helping her along the way, she will learn what the most important things in life are, and she will learn to see things in a different way.
While meeting a sleepy king, and a man on a train that goes nowhere, and moonfish that cry, and a little baby handed in her hands, we will see this magical world through an eight-year-old girl and how her perception changes chapter by chapter.
This is one of the books that will make you feel relaxed and deeply satisfied within after reading it. I felt lighter and was glowing all day.
Merel is such a cute character, and any parent would wish to have her as a daughter. She is the perfect example of how children react when a new baby sibling comes to the family, and they think that the parents don’t love them anymore, because they devote their attention to this little creature that cries all the time.
I loved her adventures – they were so adorable, and so many questions and discussions were raised. Even though the beginning was a bit slow for me, and it took me a while to catch the story, I am completely certain that this was because I am a grown up – and I am sure that kids will be easily able to dive into the story immediately.
Thank you to Silke Stein, for sending me a paperback copy of Sleep, Merel, Sleep, in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on Instagram to see what I am reading at the moment: @diaryofdifference
This is a story about a little girl called Merel. This is also a story about how Merel one day can’t sleep. This story also happens to be one of the most adorable middle grade stories that I have ever read. Silke Stein did an amazing job in portraying a little girl, and creating a magical world that we see through her eyes.
Merel is a little girl and since her sick baby brother was born, her parents stopped paying attention to her. In a magical world, far, far away, a dream collector plays on a violin and makes children fall asleep. But this one day, the dream collector gives up on Merel’s sleep and leaves his tiny silver violin in her bedroom.
Merel learns that her sleep has abandoned her, and she goes onto an incredible journey to recover the sleep, or to stay awake forever. With many characters helping her along the way, she will learn what the most important things in life are, and she will learn to see things in a different way.
While meeting a sleepy king, and a man on a train that goes nowhere, and moonfish that cry, and a little baby handed in her hands, we will see this magical world through an eight-year-old girl and how her perception changes chapter by chapter.
This is one of the books that will make you feel relaxed and deeply satisfied within after reading it. I felt lighter and was glowing all day.
Merel is such a cute character, and any parent would wish to have her as a daughter. She is the perfect example of how children react when a new baby sibling comes to the family, and they think that the parents don’t love them anymore, because they devote their attention to this little creature that cries all the time.
I loved her adventures – they were so adorable, and so many questions and discussions were raised. Even though the beginning was a bit slow for me, and it took me a while to catch the story, I am completely certain that this was because I am a grown up – and I am sure that kids will be easily able to dive into the story immediately.
Thank you to Silke Stein, for sending me a paperback copy of Sleep, Merel, Sleep, in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on Instagram to see what I am reading at the moment: @diaryofdifference