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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Last Woman Standing in Books
Apr 8, 2019
Crazy but exciting read
Dana Diaz is an aspiring comedian trying to make it in Austin, TX--with the ultimate goal of making it back to L.A. someday. She once lived there with her best friend, Jason, but left in a bit of disgrace. While performing in L.A., she meets Amanda Dorn, a computer programmer who applauds during her set and catches Dana's eye. The two bond over being women in a man's world and soon learn that both have had similar struggles with harassment. But then Amanda proposes a plan: they'll each seek revenge on a man that has harmed the other. Dana quickly finds herself pulled into Amanda's revenge schemes. She also finds herself unable to trust anyone--even her friends.
I really loved Amy Gentry's GOOD AS GONE, so I was so excited to read this one. It didn't appeal to me as much as GOOD, but I enjoyed pieces of it. This was a weird but also interesting book that certainly capitalized on the momentum of the #metoo movement and did a good job of highlighting the aftermath of sexual assault and violence against women.
Dana is an intriguing character; I liked that she was a comedian, because that's not a character you usually see in books! She's also a minority and a fairly strong female--all pluses. No one expects her to be a comic or funny. It's also heartbreaking and eye-opening to see how much she's been through: as we learn about her experiences, we see how often she's had to endure sexual harassment, sexual violence, assault, and more during her career and life.
"It was true that my appearance--short and brownskinned and shaped like my mother minus the control-top pantyhouse--did not prepare most people for my extracurricular activities."
Even worse, so many of the women in the book seem to take this behavior as par for the course. To get ahead, they must endure being harassed, or they see this sexual assault as part of life. For instance, maybe it's just part of the acting business, Dana rationalizes.
"Maybe I really was the only one who couldn't take the joke."
The plot of this book was a little complicated for me; it seemed to struggle to find itself between fiction (a struggling comic attempting to find herself) and thriller (revenge scheme gone horribly wrong). For me, it really took off when it became more of a thriller. There were lots of twists and turns, most of which were quite surprising. Some of them were bizarre. Amanda and Dana's plans are a little crazy and things sort of spiral from there.
Still, I liked Dana overall, even if she made some questionable decisions. I appreciated how her character highlighted the plight of violence of women. As the book went on, it became more exciting and interesting, even some parts were a little crazy.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
I really loved Amy Gentry's GOOD AS GONE, so I was so excited to read this one. It didn't appeal to me as much as GOOD, but I enjoyed pieces of it. This was a weird but also interesting book that certainly capitalized on the momentum of the #metoo movement and did a good job of highlighting the aftermath of sexual assault and violence against women.
Dana is an intriguing character; I liked that she was a comedian, because that's not a character you usually see in books! She's also a minority and a fairly strong female--all pluses. No one expects her to be a comic or funny. It's also heartbreaking and eye-opening to see how much she's been through: as we learn about her experiences, we see how often she's had to endure sexual harassment, sexual violence, assault, and more during her career and life.
"It was true that my appearance--short and brownskinned and shaped like my mother minus the control-top pantyhouse--did not prepare most people for my extracurricular activities."
Even worse, so many of the women in the book seem to take this behavior as par for the course. To get ahead, they must endure being harassed, or they see this sexual assault as part of life. For instance, maybe it's just part of the acting business, Dana rationalizes.
"Maybe I really was the only one who couldn't take the joke."
The plot of this book was a little complicated for me; it seemed to struggle to find itself between fiction (a struggling comic attempting to find herself) and thriller (revenge scheme gone horribly wrong). For me, it really took off when it became more of a thriller. There were lots of twists and turns, most of which were quite surprising. Some of them were bizarre. Amanda and Dana's plans are a little crazy and things sort of spiral from there.
Still, I liked Dana overall, even if she made some questionable decisions. I appreciated how her character highlighted the plight of violence of women. As the book went on, it became more exciting and interesting, even some parts were a little crazy.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Favorite Sister in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Goal Diggers is a reality TV show based on women entrepreneurs. These women have made their own way in life without the help of a man. The story centers around two characters on the show, Brett and Stephanie. Brett is the lesbian who doesn't care about what others things about her, with the bike riding studio who donates proceeds from her studios to women in Morocco who have to walk miles for water. They use the money to purchase bikes for these women. Stephanie is just the opposite refusing to film without a full face of makeup and she has written a few novels and now is on tour for her first "memoir". The other 2 characters on the show are Jen and Lauren, who don't really get along with the rest of the cast, and joining them this season is Kelly, Brett's older sister. Is reality TV really real? Are what is going on in these women's lives really happening or is it played up for the audience. This book takes us from Pre-Production on the show to Post-Production for one of the most explosive seasons. Are you ready for the ride?
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Getting into this book was hard. It took me 10 days to read it and I thought I would get through it pretty quickly. I love the Real Housewives series with my favorites being Atlanta, and Beverly Hills and this book I thought was going to be like taking a behind the scenes look at a show like that. It was, but for me it fell a little short.
The book starts with Kelly talking about Brett's death. But we have to go through the whole season of filming to see how that all plays out. Each woman has a secret to keep with one being bigger and juicier than the next. So from the start I was intrigued and I had to find out how Brett died, but it just took so long to get there. Back stories and front stories, and Interviews and lies. It's all a complete mess. The best part of the book for me was the last 10%.
Do you watch Reality TV? My husband calls it mind polluting. But he watches a couple of them with me. I've always wanted to know if the show was scripted and if these women were all either enemies or best friends when the cameras go off. You get a glimpse of that in this book. They take us through an entire filming season before the audience gets to see what happens. Producers sending texts to cast members before they are going to meet up with certain people to remind them of last filmed conversations? I need to ask Andy Cohen if that really happens. But with so much drama going on, whose lies do you believe?
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Getting into this book was hard. It took me 10 days to read it and I thought I would get through it pretty quickly. I love the Real Housewives series with my favorites being Atlanta, and Beverly Hills and this book I thought was going to be like taking a behind the scenes look at a show like that. It was, but for me it fell a little short.
The book starts with Kelly talking about Brett's death. But we have to go through the whole season of filming to see how that all plays out. Each woman has a secret to keep with one being bigger and juicier than the next. So from the start I was intrigued and I had to find out how Brett died, but it just took so long to get there. Back stories and front stories, and Interviews and lies. It's all a complete mess. The best part of the book for me was the last 10%.
Do you watch Reality TV? My husband calls it mind polluting. But he watches a couple of them with me. I've always wanted to know if the show was scripted and if these women were all either enemies or best friends when the cameras go off. You get a glimpse of that in this book. They take us through an entire filming season before the audience gets to see what happens. Producers sending texts to cast members before they are going to meet up with certain people to remind them of last filmed conversations? I need to ask Andy Cohen if that really happens. But with so much drama going on, whose lies do you believe?
Kaz (232 KP) rated White Teeth in Books
May 15, 2019
A Disappointing Read
What the 'blurb' says:
'One of the most talked about debut novels of all time, White Teeth is a funny, generous, big-hearted novel, adored by critics and readers alike. Dealing - among many other things - with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle, it is a life-affirming, riotous must-read of a book.'
My Thoughts:
This novel has had quite a lot of attention over the past few years, particularly on BookTube. So when I saw it in my local charity shop, I decided to give it a go. I have to admit that upon starting it, I had very high expectations of it, so I was quite disappointed by the end.
First, the positives. This is had some very good writing within it.. The way in which Zadie Smith writes, is funny and the characters were very believable.
But the plot itself, was the main problem I had with this book. At the beginning, certain characters had a lot of attention and their stories seemed to be developing nicely and some of the things that happened to them, were really intense. But then suddenly, all of the focus of this story was completely shifted, onto another character and those who initially seemed important, became secondary characters, who were hardly mentioned in the rest of the book. Then, more and more characters were added, without fully focusing on any one person. This meant that, by the end of the book, even though they believeable, I really didn't feel like I knew any of them
Partly due to this, and the fact that every chapter felt like an individual short story, this made the flow of the plot stop and start all of the time, and, although some chapters were really enjoyable, for me, they didn't link together well.
Randomly also, there were almost essay-like chapters, which talked about the ideas of identity and race within a multicultural society. Even though these were really interesting and thought provoking, they didn't seem to belong within the story itself. So for me, the organization of the plot was really weak.
The most disappointing thing for me, was the end. The different strands of story did kind of come together towards the end. It was all building up to something that I thought, would make a powerful ending.
However, it felt like Zadie Smith had run out of energy by the end and couldn't be bothered to gives us readers a plausible and realistic conclusion. For some characters, they didn't really have any resolution at all. This made me feel frustrated about investing time on this book.
I think this book had some interesting ideas and the style of writing was really good, but the plot was terrible. This is shame, because this could have been brilliant..
My Rating ***
'One of the most talked about debut novels of all time, White Teeth is a funny, generous, big-hearted novel, adored by critics and readers alike. Dealing - among many other things - with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle, it is a life-affirming, riotous must-read of a book.'
My Thoughts:
This novel has had quite a lot of attention over the past few years, particularly on BookTube. So when I saw it in my local charity shop, I decided to give it a go. I have to admit that upon starting it, I had very high expectations of it, so I was quite disappointed by the end.
First, the positives. This is had some very good writing within it.. The way in which Zadie Smith writes, is funny and the characters were very believable.
But the plot itself, was the main problem I had with this book. At the beginning, certain characters had a lot of attention and their stories seemed to be developing nicely and some of the things that happened to them, were really intense. But then suddenly, all of the focus of this story was completely shifted, onto another character and those who initially seemed important, became secondary characters, who were hardly mentioned in the rest of the book. Then, more and more characters were added, without fully focusing on any one person. This meant that, by the end of the book, even though they believeable, I really didn't feel like I knew any of them
Partly due to this, and the fact that every chapter felt like an individual short story, this made the flow of the plot stop and start all of the time, and, although some chapters were really enjoyable, for me, they didn't link together well.
Randomly also, there were almost essay-like chapters, which talked about the ideas of identity and race within a multicultural society. Even though these were really interesting and thought provoking, they didn't seem to belong within the story itself. So for me, the organization of the plot was really weak.
The most disappointing thing for me, was the end. The different strands of story did kind of come together towards the end. It was all building up to something that I thought, would make a powerful ending.
However, it felt like Zadie Smith had run out of energy by the end and couldn't be bothered to gives us readers a plausible and realistic conclusion. For some characters, they didn't really have any resolution at all. This made me feel frustrated about investing time on this book.
I think this book had some interesting ideas and the style of writing was really good, but the plot was terrible. This is shame, because this could have been brilliant..
My Rating ***
Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated HIS Fantasy (HIS #8) in Books
Feb 6, 2018
a fitting end
I was gifted my copy of this book, direct from the author, that I write a review was not required.
This is book 8 in the HIS series, but they all can be read as stand alones. However reading them in order will give you a better understanding of how the Hamilton family works, and just why Brad fights so hard against falling in love.
Brad Hamilton is the last man standing. (had to say, I chuckled when that appeared in the book!) The last brother to meet t after he said something, she left him. Now Madison is back in town and in danger, so of course Brad goes all ALPHA male on her. But Brad has secrets. and when those secrets threaten Madison, the Hamilton brothers pull out all the stops, to not only keep Madison safe, but to clear their brother's name.
It's always sad to come to the end of a series, especially one you have watched grow from the very first one, one you have watched the author's skill grow with every book along the way. Brad's story is a fitting end to an amazing journey.
Brad's secret has been hinted at along the way, but never fully revealed until now, and I did like being kept waiting on that front. That Brad didn't actually do anything wrong, he just thought he had, shows the depth of character Brad has. His brothers never doubted him, and neither does Madison when she gets the full story.
Brad and Madison's chemistry is hot off the charts, but I liked that it takes them time to finally give in to their feelings, and when Brad falls, he falls HARD and he falls FAST. Madison is half in love with Brad from the very beginning, I think!
I loved that ALL the brothers pop in and out at some part of this story, and Blake and Elizabeth too. We get to catch up with all the babies born, and those on the way, and I really don't think it will be long before Brad and Madison have their own news to share.
I loved the planning of them all being together at Thanksgiving, and the table cloth idea was a fabulous idea I may well steal! Maybe at some point in the future, we can drop in on their Thanksgiving, just to catch up with everyone. I often wonder whether, when their series is finished whether characters actually shut up on their authors, or just lurk in the background waiting to pounce!
It did not feel as long a read as the others, but page length is pretty consistent through the brothers books, but dad's book is only short.
A fitting end, I think. I can't wait to see what Ms Kell comes up with next.
Thank you, for writing these books, I will miss them all.
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 8 in the HIS series, but they all can be read as stand alones. However reading them in order will give you a better understanding of how the Hamilton family works, and just why Brad fights so hard against falling in love.
Brad Hamilton is the last man standing. (had to say, I chuckled when that appeared in the book!) The last brother to meet t after he said something, she left him. Now Madison is back in town and in danger, so of course Brad goes all ALPHA male on her. But Brad has secrets. and when those secrets threaten Madison, the Hamilton brothers pull out all the stops, to not only keep Madison safe, but to clear their brother's name.
It's always sad to come to the end of a series, especially one you have watched grow from the very first one, one you have watched the author's skill grow with every book along the way. Brad's story is a fitting end to an amazing journey.
Brad's secret has been hinted at along the way, but never fully revealed until now, and I did like being kept waiting on that front. That Brad didn't actually do anything wrong, he just thought he had, shows the depth of character Brad has. His brothers never doubted him, and neither does Madison when she gets the full story.
Brad and Madison's chemistry is hot off the charts, but I liked that it takes them time to finally give in to their feelings, and when Brad falls, he falls HARD and he falls FAST. Madison is half in love with Brad from the very beginning, I think!
I loved that ALL the brothers pop in and out at some part of this story, and Blake and Elizabeth too. We get to catch up with all the babies born, and those on the way, and I really don't think it will be long before Brad and Madison have their own news to share.
I loved the planning of them all being together at Thanksgiving, and the table cloth idea was a fabulous idea I may well steal! Maybe at some point in the future, we can drop in on their Thanksgiving, just to catch up with everyone. I often wonder whether, when their series is finished whether characters actually shut up on their authors, or just lurk in the background waiting to pounce!
It did not feel as long a read as the others, but page length is pretty consistent through the brothers books, but dad's book is only short.
A fitting end, I think. I can't wait to see what Ms Kell comes up with next.
Thank you, for writing these books, I will miss them all.
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated If I Die Tonight in Books
Mar 5, 2018
Well-drawn characters (1 more)
Powerful look at social media's influence
Suspenseful, character-driven tale
Havenkill is a pretty quiet town--mostly focused on its football team. So when a washed up 80s rockstar named Aimee En stumbles into the police station in the middle of the night, claiming someone carjacked her Jaguar and then ran over a teenage boy who was trying to help, it receives a lot of police and media attention. The young teen's name was Liam--a star on the football team--and he's quickly portrayed as a hero for trying to save Aimee and her vehicle. Suspicion turns fairly soon to another local teen, Wade Reed, a social outcast, who is vilified by his peers and the local media. His younger brother, Connor, struggles as his own friends distance themselves in the wake of Wade's alleged actions. And Pearl Maze, a member of the Havenkill police force, who was there when Aimee arrived, isn't sure how real Aimee's story actually is.
The novel's story is told via short snippets of narrative from a varied cast of characters, including Pearl, Aimee, Connor, and Connor and Wade's mom, Jackie. It's effective--and effectively frustrating, as you find yourself wanting to know more about what happened the night Liam died. The book sucks you in immediately via this format and its excellent, well-drawn characters. These characters are complex, as are the relationships between everyone in the novel. Nothing is as it seems, and everyone is hiding more beneath their surface (and the past). I was shocked at how well-done these interconnected relationships were and how much I wanted to keep reading. I felt such allegiances to particular characters and such distaste for others. Pearl, Jackie, even Wade and Connor--they were magnificently written and the book was just so well-done. I was really impressed by this one.
Pearl, for instance, was such a complicated character, with such a nuanced backstory. She was an excellent cop, and I found myself immediately rooting for her. She was so smart. Gaylin did a wonderful job of portraying how small towns deal with tragedy and how social media can influence opinion--and how it can affect teens. It was really powerful. As the novel wears on, you're not exactly sure who to trust--or exactly what happened the night Liam died--and I couldn't stop myself from obsessively turning the pages, trying to figure out what happened. Even though the novel is very character-focused, it's suspenseful too and focused on the Liam mystery.
Overall, this was great and such a pleasant surprise. I love requesting an ARC of an author I've never read before and discovering such a great story. This was a suspenseful read, with an excellent, well-written cast. I'm looking forward to reading more Gaylin's work. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review. More at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
The novel's story is told via short snippets of narrative from a varied cast of characters, including Pearl, Aimee, Connor, and Connor and Wade's mom, Jackie. It's effective--and effectively frustrating, as you find yourself wanting to know more about what happened the night Liam died. The book sucks you in immediately via this format and its excellent, well-drawn characters. These characters are complex, as are the relationships between everyone in the novel. Nothing is as it seems, and everyone is hiding more beneath their surface (and the past). I was shocked at how well-done these interconnected relationships were and how much I wanted to keep reading. I felt such allegiances to particular characters and such distaste for others. Pearl, Jackie, even Wade and Connor--they were magnificently written and the book was just so well-done. I was really impressed by this one.
Pearl, for instance, was such a complicated character, with such a nuanced backstory. She was an excellent cop, and I found myself immediately rooting for her. She was so smart. Gaylin did a wonderful job of portraying how small towns deal with tragedy and how social media can influence opinion--and how it can affect teens. It was really powerful. As the novel wears on, you're not exactly sure who to trust--or exactly what happened the night Liam died--and I couldn't stop myself from obsessively turning the pages, trying to figure out what happened. Even though the novel is very character-focused, it's suspenseful too and focused on the Liam mystery.
Overall, this was great and such a pleasant surprise. I love requesting an ARC of an author I've never read before and discovering such a great story. This was a suspenseful read, with an excellent, well-written cast. I'm looking forward to reading more Gaylin's work. I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review. More at https://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Dark Net in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I really think that the synopsis for this book is not up to scratch! Although, yes, the synopsis is what initially drew me to this book, after reading it I can say that the book is <i><b>WAY</b></i> better than the synopsis would make you believe!
This book tackles the subject of good and evil, with references to demons and black magic which I didnt get at all from the synopsis! I was expecting this to have a much deeper involvement with the dark net, whats on it and how its used. While yes, there is that to the book, its not necessarily its main focus.
To begin with, this lack of talk about the dark net actually made me hesitant about the book. I was expecting something so much different to what I was reading, I felt really disappointed. But, that feeling didnt last for long. This is so unlike anything Ive ever read before and that made everything about this book really exciting. Not to mention, this is a super clever book! It uses real life scenarios that we can all relate to, or at least know about, and explains it with a black magic twist.
For example, when talking about demon possession, it explains how small demons can take over and that causes a man to plow a lorry through a busy crowd, or a school shooting a one off awful occasion in history. But when a big, strong demon comes along, it can posses not only a person, but a nation. It uses examples of the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide, which I thought was really smart!
Characters in this book were excellent, but there were quite a lot of them that we needed to get to know. Juniper was by far my favourite of the bunch, Sarin coming in at a close second. I loved that there was a strong, bad-ass female character who wasnt irritating (Lela, Im looking at you!).
As for the story, I will say that it feels a bit all over the place at times. Its not difficult to wrap your head around but there are a lot of things pulled in to the story at different times and this sometimes got a bit manic. This is classed as a horror novel, and for me, there definitely were some creepy bits. The hounds especially made my skin crawl.
Overall, I ended up really loving this novel. It was short and sweet (although it almost took me a whole 7 days to read), and it was exciting, creepy and fast-paced! A great novel for anyone who likes a darker thriller. Lots of gruesome deaths and bad-ass characters.
<i>Thanks to BookBridgr and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>
This book tackles the subject of good and evil, with references to demons and black magic which I didnt get at all from the synopsis! I was expecting this to have a much deeper involvement with the dark net, whats on it and how its used. While yes, there is that to the book, its not necessarily its main focus.
To begin with, this lack of talk about the dark net actually made me hesitant about the book. I was expecting something so much different to what I was reading, I felt really disappointed. But, that feeling didnt last for long. This is so unlike anything Ive ever read before and that made everything about this book really exciting. Not to mention, this is a super clever book! It uses real life scenarios that we can all relate to, or at least know about, and explains it with a black magic twist.
For example, when talking about demon possession, it explains how small demons can take over and that causes a man to plow a lorry through a busy crowd, or a school shooting a one off awful occasion in history. But when a big, strong demon comes along, it can posses not only a person, but a nation. It uses examples of the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide, which I thought was really smart!
Characters in this book were excellent, but there were quite a lot of them that we needed to get to know. Juniper was by far my favourite of the bunch, Sarin coming in at a close second. I loved that there was a strong, bad-ass female character who wasnt irritating (Lela, Im looking at you!).
As for the story, I will say that it feels a bit all over the place at times. Its not difficult to wrap your head around but there are a lot of things pulled in to the story at different times and this sometimes got a bit manic. This is classed as a horror novel, and for me, there definitely were some creepy bits. The hounds especially made my skin crawl.
Overall, I ended up really loving this novel. It was short and sweet (although it almost took me a whole 7 days to read), and it was exciting, creepy and fast-paced! A great novel for anyone who likes a darker thriller. Lots of gruesome deaths and bad-ass characters.
<i>Thanks to BookBridgr and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>
T.N. Nova (30 KP) rated What's In A Name? in Books
Jun 22, 2018
What’s in a name? by Pat Henshaw is a short novella about a Barista by the name of Jimmy Patterson who gets dumped at a bar on his birthday by his boyfriend Alex. The burly bartender who we first know as Alex 2 then later as “Guy”, comes in to save the day when Jimmy gets drunk off his backside and finds himself in the bathroom with his head over the toilet bowl. All Jimmy wants is to know the bartender’s first name. The story starts unfolding when “Guy” makes a deal with Jimmy. He has seven days to guess “Guy”’s first name; one guess each day.
While each day for the next week, Jimmy and Guy’s relationship becomes deeper to the point where they end up falling in love and do find their HEA, there is so much more to this story than just your typical boy meets boy, boy falls in love with boy, they live happily ever after type scenario. Jimmy and his co-owner of Penny’s coffee shop learn that not everything is going to be a bed of roses as thriving business owners when someone ends up trashing their mall branch shop. Jimmy and Guy have their own issues that they need to work out through the week that they’re together as well.
What I found interesting as well as refreshing about What’s in a Name? is that right from the very beginning the book had a fairytale feel to it. First there was the feel of a Rumpelstiltskin story in so far as having to guess Guy’s name and getting seven guess’s to figure out out. I’m not going to give away the ending of the book or the answer in this regards but the fairytale overlays continue throughout the book.
There were quite a few twists and turns to What’s in a Name along with unexpected surprises that pop up throughout the read such as Jimmy’s ex boyfriend Alex, who we meet at the beginning of the book, showing up later. There was some mystery to this story as well and the person we thought was the culprit wasn’t the one “Who done it” after all.
The one big downfall that I found while reading the story was that “Guy’s” first name became predictable by at least the middle of the story for me. Luckily that wasn’t the main plot otherwise there was a good chance I would have lost interest in the book. There were quite a few underlying and overlying aspects to What’s in a name that it kept me coming back to see what happened between the two men. What’s in a name is a quick read that I got through in a day and it took me that long only because it was during the weekend when I had other things going on. I would definitely recommend this to my friends.
While each day for the next week, Jimmy and Guy’s relationship becomes deeper to the point where they end up falling in love and do find their HEA, there is so much more to this story than just your typical boy meets boy, boy falls in love with boy, they live happily ever after type scenario. Jimmy and his co-owner of Penny’s coffee shop learn that not everything is going to be a bed of roses as thriving business owners when someone ends up trashing their mall branch shop. Jimmy and Guy have their own issues that they need to work out through the week that they’re together as well.
What I found interesting as well as refreshing about What’s in a Name? is that right from the very beginning the book had a fairytale feel to it. First there was the feel of a Rumpelstiltskin story in so far as having to guess Guy’s name and getting seven guess’s to figure out out. I’m not going to give away the ending of the book or the answer in this regards but the fairytale overlays continue throughout the book.
There were quite a few twists and turns to What’s in a Name along with unexpected surprises that pop up throughout the read such as Jimmy’s ex boyfriend Alex, who we meet at the beginning of the book, showing up later. There was some mystery to this story as well and the person we thought was the culprit wasn’t the one “Who done it” after all.
The one big downfall that I found while reading the story was that “Guy’s” first name became predictable by at least the middle of the story for me. Luckily that wasn’t the main plot otherwise there was a good chance I would have lost interest in the book. There were quite a few underlying and overlying aspects to What’s in a name that it kept me coming back to see what happened between the two men. What’s in a name is a quick read that I got through in a day and it took me that long only because it was during the weekend when I had other things going on. I would definitely recommend this to my friends.
Don’t Wake Up is the story of Alex, a Doctor working in a busy emergency department. Alex seems to have everything going for her. She has a fiance, she has a home, a career. Until one day, she is attacked and sexually assaulted, in circumstances that seem totally unrealistic to anyone and everyone. Support quickly dies, and nobody believes her. Her fiance leaves, her friends and colleagues leave. She’s left doubting her own sanity. Then, she ends up framed for a murder she didn’t commit. The trail of destruction runs through her life whilst she tries to prove that she’s innocent, and is indeed a victim herself.
With well thought out unpredictable twists and a very good element of surprise, I found this book to be a fantastic read. The main character, the victim Alex, is well thought out with an enormous layer of depth to her. You truly feel empathy for her, and her situation. Her story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotion, where you feel like you want to reach through the pages and hold her hand as she stumbles and falls through trying to survive her ordeal. Although what happened to Alex seems unbelievable to the other characters, you as a reader know the truth, and you’ll want to scream it. Especially to a certain Detective Best.
There are too many positives from this book to list. So I’ll keep it as short as I can. The character depth is amazing, the story world is immersive and interesting. Every details is covered, you’re left imagining nothing as the whole picture is painted for you. The entire book is consistent without, as are the characters and their belief systems and backstories. It’s a brilliantly thought out plot, and an ending so unique I haven’t seen it in a while.
I only have two criticisms, and even then they’re mild. One is the books length. It’s shorter than it needed to be. I’d have loved for an extra few chapters on the end, showing Alex truly move from victim to survivor. It wouldn’t affect the main story in any way at all, and doesn’t cause the book to be anything less than brilliant. It just would’ve been nice from a personal point of view, to watch Alex step into her future. The second, and again only small, criticism I have is that the time hops are often hard to place. A chapter will skip ahead by a few days / weeks etc, and it’s hard to know where we are. Within a few pages though it’s either a] easier to work out, or b] it doesn’t actually matter as it doesn’t affect the story.
Overall, this book is fantastic. It’s a thoroughly good read, with twists and an ending, that comes out of no where. A genuine page turner that really keeps you interested in what’s to come next.
With well thought out unpredictable twists and a very good element of surprise, I found this book to be a fantastic read. The main character, the victim Alex, is well thought out with an enormous layer of depth to her. You truly feel empathy for her, and her situation. Her story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotion, where you feel like you want to reach through the pages and hold her hand as she stumbles and falls through trying to survive her ordeal. Although what happened to Alex seems unbelievable to the other characters, you as a reader know the truth, and you’ll want to scream it. Especially to a certain Detective Best.
There are too many positives from this book to list. So I’ll keep it as short as I can. The character depth is amazing, the story world is immersive and interesting. Every details is covered, you’re left imagining nothing as the whole picture is painted for you. The entire book is consistent without, as are the characters and their belief systems and backstories. It’s a brilliantly thought out plot, and an ending so unique I haven’t seen it in a while.
I only have two criticisms, and even then they’re mild. One is the books length. It’s shorter than it needed to be. I’d have loved for an extra few chapters on the end, showing Alex truly move from victim to survivor. It wouldn’t affect the main story in any way at all, and doesn’t cause the book to be anything less than brilliant. It just would’ve been nice from a personal point of view, to watch Alex step into her future. The second, and again only small, criticism I have is that the time hops are often hard to place. A chapter will skip ahead by a few days / weeks etc, and it’s hard to know where we are. Within a few pages though it’s either a] easier to work out, or b] it doesn’t actually matter as it doesn’t affect the story.
Overall, this book is fantastic. It’s a thoroughly good read, with twists and an ending, that comes out of no where. A genuine page turner that really keeps you interested in what’s to come next.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Evil that came to Denham in Books
Jan 20, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich is based on a real story that I doubt many people have heard of. This story is The Denham Massacre in 1870 where all seven members of the Marshall family were brutally murdered. If this is something that interests you I invite you to read on.
The narrator tells the story of his parents in their first house in Denham. Christine (the narrator's mother) comes from an extremely proper family. Her father is extremely controlling and abusive while her mother is religious and believes that her husband’s behavior is the will of God. Neither one of Christine’s parents approves of John, her boyfriend (and the narrator's father) because he is a garbage collector and doesn't come from money. It is their dislike for John and the mistreatment of Christine that pushes John to quickly find a home of their own.
John comes across a home for rent called Harridons at Cheapside Lane in Denham in the paper. After making the proper arrangements John, Christine, and their friend Dave happily rent the house. The happiness is short-lived as Christine is soon the first to hear the disembodied screams of women and children. It quickly becomes clear that there is more to this house than the three originally though. It takes a long talk with a priest and the landlords before they learn the truth behind the house. A horrible massacre many years before has stained the very land the house sits on and has left behind some very unhappy sprits.
I enjoyed the style of the storytelling used. When someone in the main story is telling another character a story about something else that happened in the past it is written like a flashback. The entire thing flows wonderfully without any jarring transitions. What I did not like was how just about everyone is accepting of what was going on in the house. Naturally, I expected more people to be skeptical of the paranormal happenings. This isn’t so much a problem as it is an odd observation.
This is an adult horror book that could be acceptable for slightly younger readers, such as those still in high school. One of the big issues is the fact that there is a fair amount of vivid gore scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Readers should also be prepared for a relatively long novel. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While not my favorite book its was still wonderful. A great read for any time of the year but especially around Halloween as this one truly was creepy. The fact that it is based on a true story adds to the creepy level even more.
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The narrator tells the story of his parents in their first house in Denham. Christine (the narrator's mother) comes from an extremely proper family. Her father is extremely controlling and abusive while her mother is religious and believes that her husband’s behavior is the will of God. Neither one of Christine’s parents approves of John, her boyfriend (and the narrator's father) because he is a garbage collector and doesn't come from money. It is their dislike for John and the mistreatment of Christine that pushes John to quickly find a home of their own.
John comes across a home for rent called Harridons at Cheapside Lane in Denham in the paper. After making the proper arrangements John, Christine, and their friend Dave happily rent the house. The happiness is short-lived as Christine is soon the first to hear the disembodied screams of women and children. It quickly becomes clear that there is more to this house than the three originally though. It takes a long talk with a priest and the landlords before they learn the truth behind the house. A horrible massacre many years before has stained the very land the house sits on and has left behind some very unhappy sprits.
I enjoyed the style of the storytelling used. When someone in the main story is telling another character a story about something else that happened in the past it is written like a flashback. The entire thing flows wonderfully without any jarring transitions. What I did not like was how just about everyone is accepting of what was going on in the house. Naturally, I expected more people to be skeptical of the paranormal happenings. This isn’t so much a problem as it is an odd observation.
This is an adult horror book that could be acceptable for slightly younger readers, such as those still in high school. One of the big issues is the fact that there is a fair amount of vivid gore scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Readers should also be prepared for a relatively long novel. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While not my favorite book its was still wonderful. A great read for any time of the year but especially around Halloween as this one truly was creepy. The fact that it is based on a true story adds to the creepy level even more.
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Missing Ones in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Research librarian Hester Thursby returns in THE MISSING ONES, but she's not the same. Shaken by the traumatic series of events that occurred in book one, Hester is anxious and guilty. This affects her parenting of four-year-old, Kate, the daughter of her partner Morgan's sister, Daphne. (Follow that?) Daphne has now been gone for over a year, and Hester and Morgan are still caring for Kate. Meanwhile, on Finisterre Island in Maine, Rory, a local cop, is watching the ferry come in yet again. He's ignoring the whispers and suspicion of others on the island, who believe he is responsible for taking Oliver, a four-year-old who disappeared over the summer--and whom Rory found, safe and sound. Now another child is missing. Soon Hester gets a text--asking her to come to the island. In short order, she'll find a body there, and connect it to the missing children. But Finisterre Island is a small place, and not one to give up its secrets easily.
Reading this novel has definitely secured Edwin Hill and the Hester Thursby series as a go-to author/series combo for me. This was an excellent and compelling read. Hester is a wonderful, complex protagonist, and I hated to see her so fragile and struggling. I love Hill's stable of regular characters--Hester, Morgan, Kate, and their dog, Waffles. Plus, several folks from the last book pop up again, which was fun. Always hovering in the background is the missing Daphne, and Hester's complicated feelings: Daphne is her best friend; Morgan's sister; and Kate's mother. Of course she wants her back in their lives, but by now, she fiercely loves Kate and feels like her mother. It adds a deeper layer to the books and an aspect that I really enjoy. And Kate, while "just" four, is a total trip. I love that kid.
The mystery presented here is wonderfully plotted and complex. Introducing Finisterre Island gives us a whole host of new characters: Rory; Annie, Faith, and young Ethan, who are all squatting in a broken down Victorian on the Island; Lydia, Oliver's mother, who runs the local inn and bakery and her husband Trey, a state cop; and others. With a small island comes intense and tangled relationships, and Hill presents and handles them all deftly. The story kept me guessing and intrigued--fascinated both by the murder and mysteries, as well as Hester's own personal issues. Seeing a vulnerable side to her was difficult due to my adoration for her character, but it was so well-done. And, of course, she's still able to solve crimes, because she's amazing.
Overall, this was an excellent read. I love Hester--and her little created family. Hill is an amazing writer and does a great job at creating a suspenseful world that easily sucks you in. 4.5 stars.
Reading this novel has definitely secured Edwin Hill and the Hester Thursby series as a go-to author/series combo for me. This was an excellent and compelling read. Hester is a wonderful, complex protagonist, and I hated to see her so fragile and struggling. I love Hill's stable of regular characters--Hester, Morgan, Kate, and their dog, Waffles. Plus, several folks from the last book pop up again, which was fun. Always hovering in the background is the missing Daphne, and Hester's complicated feelings: Daphne is her best friend; Morgan's sister; and Kate's mother. Of course she wants her back in their lives, but by now, she fiercely loves Kate and feels like her mother. It adds a deeper layer to the books and an aspect that I really enjoy. And Kate, while "just" four, is a total trip. I love that kid.
The mystery presented here is wonderfully plotted and complex. Introducing Finisterre Island gives us a whole host of new characters: Rory; Annie, Faith, and young Ethan, who are all squatting in a broken down Victorian on the Island; Lydia, Oliver's mother, who runs the local inn and bakery and her husband Trey, a state cop; and others. With a small island comes intense and tangled relationships, and Hill presents and handles them all deftly. The story kept me guessing and intrigued--fascinated both by the murder and mysteries, as well as Hester's own personal issues. Seeing a vulnerable side to her was difficult due to my adoration for her character, but it was so well-done. And, of course, she's still able to solve crimes, because she's amazing.
Overall, this was an excellent read. I love Hester--and her little created family. Hill is an amazing writer and does a great job at creating a suspenseful world that easily sucks you in. 4.5 stars.