Not what I expected, but wonderful just the same. I've kept Amy Harmon's books on the tbr for years now. I had a feeling I'd love her voice, and for sNot what I expected, but wonderful just the same. I've kept Amy Harmon's books on the tbr for years now. I had a feeling I'd love her voice, and for some reason I wanted to save her stories for a future need for a good read. I think I'd have to be in the right mood for this type of read. Contemplative and with plenty of time to sink into it. I was slightly listless during the somewhat long intro into the meat of the story, but once the true direction of the plot took off, there was no putting this one down. I read and read and read until I was done. Moses was a very complex character, but Georgia was equally so. Maybe not as outwardly dynamic, but she was so unique in her own right. Moses' art was haunting and sexy, in a way. The suspense was an underlying constant, so I kept waiting for the big reveal.
Wonderful, magical story with a bit of a paranormal twist. ...more
4.5 Scary, Exciting, Unique stars! Once again, this writing duo knocks me off of my feet with their unique blend of Urban Fantasy, Romance, and Horror.4.5 Scary, Exciting, Unique stars! Once again, this writing duo knocks me off of my feet with their unique blend of Urban Fantasy, Romance, and Horror. This second installment in the UnderCity Chronicles takes place in and under London. And for me, it was even freakier than book one. There just seemed to be a lot going on...a slew of new characters, an introduction to an old myth that is very, very real in this story, and the ever present Rawheads, the creatures who live underground and have recently started appearing to terrorize dwellers of the Midnight.
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Our heroine, Zephanie, is the heir to the throne of Rat Queen. Her mother, who left her years ago, is the reigning queen, but Zephanie and her little friend Blackball the rat are a big focal point in this book along with Tom, a private investigator who's marriage crumbled when he lost his son over ten years ago. Their hesitant and awkward romance began long ago, although Tom remained clueless until recently. Apparently, fate has had a hand in bringing these two together. Their circumstances are less than ideal. Their slow building attraction was a little hard to swallow at first but once I got into the tone of the story, it fit perfectly. This isn't a hearts and flowers romance. It's gritty and scary, borne of necessity/proximity first and attraction later.
"Believe me, I understand despair. Believe me, too, when I say you're no monster. And you can choose the life you want to live, be it in London or the Midnight or anywhere else. It's what you do now that's going to matter, and that's one hundred percent in your hands."
It especially fits when you read the initial note from Serge, half of the writing duo that created this imaginative world. He notes the unfairness of the world...the tragedy, the heartbreak, the cruelty. And then goes on to show us a world that seems to be full of monsters and evil, and delves into the individual lives of people and creatures that are very different than they originally appear. Now, I don't know if that was the point, but that's what struck me. Example: we used to have rats as pets...they're extremely intelligent, fastidious, and loyal. [image] But tell someone you have a rat, and you're an automatic weirdo. Now, the lessons learned in this book are a bit heavier than that, but it is one example used to illustrate prejudices that people have against certain things. Until we understand another's life, we have no idea what kind of person they really are. These underground creatures may look different, but for the most part, they're all doing what they've been taught to do, which is survive.
If there is one thing I could change, there is a separate story line that includes a captive that I was mega-interested in...I mean, biting my nails and cringing because I couldn't decide if I wanted to read on or cower in fear of what's coming for her...and I was left unsatisfied :( [image]
I'm beginning to ramble...again. It's book like this...these hard to explain little gems that I really want everyone to read but I'm afraid they won't because of the labels on it...I just want to convince someone to give it a go. You can't understand it until you read it. But if you're like me, and you're getting tired of the same old junk, the poorly edited (or non-edited), recycled plot, lame and cheesy romance, vampire/shifter/angel paranormals, etc, I encourage you to try this series. It's well written, wildly different, genre-mixing action with a dash of lessons learned. And wide open for more books, but each book so far has a definitive end that leaves the reader satisfied. ...more
"Ellie Watt, the sacrifice that everyone loved to make."
This was the book that really solidified all of these characters in my head. Ellie's past
"Ellie Watt, the sacrifice that everyone loved to make."
This was the book that really solidified all of these characters in my head. Ellie's past has been revealed a bit, and so instead of being some selfish, self absorbed bitch, now she's a selfish, self absorbed bitch...with a rough past. But she sacrifice herself for Camden, knowing that she was giving him over to live a life without her; in fact, with another woman and the son they made together. That was just about the first thing that Ellie has done that endeared me to her. Although I almost felt like she was just worn down to that point, just not willing to keep up this crazy life.
Oh, but that isn't her choice, because now Javier OWNS her. As he likes to remind her in his obsessive way, over and over again. Javier's a changed man. [image] He's no longer young, and in no way is he still a romantic. No, Javi showed his true colors here. I'm scritch-scratching my head as to how some people still see him as a good match for Ellie. Maybe if lines like this don't bother them:
"You don't know what you are, Ellie. You act strong but everyone can see how vulnerable you are. Men, like me, like Travis, we want to protect that. We want to break you, mold you and keep you as ours."
Yeah, Javi is certifiable.
And I have enough of a romantic in me to still want what is good for Ellie, to still want her to find a real love, a lasting romance, a man who...like Camden...will still want to protect her and provide for her, a man who will chase her across the US and into Mexico because he can do nothing else. [image] A man who says things like this:
"After I first felt Ellie's lips on mine, the warmth, sweetness, I was never the same. She took a piece of me that I was unable to get back until I was inside her, feeling her heart and her sins in my hands."
And who thinks things like this:
"For all she'd done, for the heartless, cruel, selfish person she could be, there was an innocence deep inside - there was still a ten year old girl who's lost everything , show never learned to love without repercussions, who never let her real self be free."
Now, up until this book, I wasn't too fond of either Camden OR Javier. But the entire premise of Shooting Scars really turned the table for me. Javier is using Ellie to get to Travis...for reasons unknown, he is sending her into the belly of the beast. Not only does he use Ellie to do his dirty work, but he's even more psychotic and power hungry now than he was six years ago.
"No? You don't get to say no, Ellie..."
Welp, Javier, you sealed your fate with me. On top of the lamest excuse EVER for cheating and how completely unapologetic he was about the whole situation, I am firmly team Camden now. I think Ellie deserves someone who thinks about her for once.
That being said, Camden allies himself with someone important from Ellie's past, and it's a great and loyal match up.
This book had a lot more action, a lot more character development in it. I can't say that I agreed with all of Ellie's actions (stupid, STUPID girl!!!) but...this story shoved the series forward by leaps and bounds, and was a great one to rad right after On Every Street. We all have learned what makes Ellie, Camden, and Javier tick. And now we're witnessing them all under pressure. I don't know about you, but I'm super curious to know who's going to blow first :D:D...more
"Any love that starts under a lie is bound to kill you."
I just feel...shattered and broken and so confused. Why, Javier? What is happening? [image]
"Any love that starts under a lie is bound to kill you."
I just feel...shattered and broken and so confused. Why, Javier? What is happening? [image] I'm not sure in what universe any reader could read this as a stand alone...that was the biggest cliffie ever aside from the one on Sins and Needles. And oh, boy, did this affect me waaaay more than I thought it would. I read Sins and Needles first, just fyi, so I had a vague idea of Javier and Ellie's (errr, Eden's) past.
I expected Javier to have some more than redeeming qualities, and now that it's over, I'm more confused than ever. I think putting this down, I just have this super sad feeling, sort of hopeless. I know that I really do understand where Ellie's lack of bonding and emotion comes from...so if there's one thing for me to pick as the major focal point of On Every Street, that would be it for me.
"You know," he began, voice low and full, " if you were to ever leave me, I'd come looking for you, on every street."
(view spoiler)[ First off, what the hell was the whole losing her virginity thing? Like, who THINKS that would be a good way to do it? Doggy style, tied up, blindfolded, and FUCKED. No slow and sensual, no trying to ease the pain. That was madness, and it wasn't sexy, and it was a huge turn off in the Javier department. Ellie was bleeding and trying not to scream...I'd cry rape but the stupid girl never said no! It was just weird. (hide spoiler)]
Honestly, Javier and Ellie are just so messed up together. Javier is nothing short of psycho obsessed with Ellie...the man is crazy! And Ellie seems to LOVE it...she lives for this unhealthy possessiveness that he feels for her, and in fact their "love" seems to thrive on it. And what really got to me is how much he really, really seemed to care about her, despite his weirdness. He sees her as his savior, his one chance at goodness:
"I'm a very bad man who has done too many bad things to deserve a pardon. I shouldn't be waling this earth as I do, I shouldn't have the money I have, I shouldn't have the love of a woman who is so far above me she should have wings."
A huge, massive cloud hanging over this Javier obsession: (view spoiler)[ I assumed that the cheating thing had some kind of explanation. I don't have any idea what, but the way it was laid out made it seem like Javier just lost interest. I will never be team Javi if that's the case...I don't do infidelity, but ESPECIALLY because he was so convincing as to how devoted he was to Ellie, how he branded her and broke her and adored her...only to fuck another woman in their bed? Nope. No effing WAY can I forgive that. EVER. (hide spoiler)]
"You want revenge. You want vindication. And I hope you get those things. But the relief will be fleeting. Because you can never right the external wrongs until you fix what's wrong inside you."
This is my thing: I don't have any idea how to categorize this hot mess of a story. But I CAN say that for every single second of this book, I was completely and utterly captivated...in a train wreck kind of way. I mean, it was AWESOME.
So...no, I'm not team Javier...I'm not team Camden.
I'm team No One. Still.
No! I take that back. I'm Team Dex Foray, baby. ...more
Holly Christian is returning to the remote island of Pitcairn after many years. Since being orphaned at age five, she has lived with a loving foster fHolly Christian is returning to the remote island of Pitcairn after many years. Since being orphaned at age five, she has lived with a loving foster family in New Zealand with no memories of her young childhood or birth parents. Now she wants to know where she came from, and wants the truth about her parents. Full review posted in the June 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine http://www.indtale.com/reviews/rememb...
Cool story...link to review will be posted when it's published for InD'tale magazine, but I wanted to show a couple of cool pictures and share some wow factor for this little tiny place that I'd never before heard of, Pitcairn Island.
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-- It's a tiny, tiny, tiny island somewhere not off the coast of New Zealand but people usually leave New Zealand to get there.
-- It's listed as one of the 10 most remote populated places in the world.
-- The population varies, but as of now, it's somewhere around 60!!!! Whoa!
-- This author, Nadine Christian, is a resident of this lovely tropical paradise......more
“No matter what happened, he was Dex and I was Perry and that combination only led to trouble.”
Dex and Perry finally, albeit somewhat reluctantly
“No matter what happened, he was Dex and I was Perry and that combination only led to trouble.”
Dex and Perry finally, albeit somewhat reluctantly for Perry...do SOMETHING smart in regards to their relationship. Though I think spoiling it would be cruel, so I won't. Hah!!! Let me just say that it could be the best thing ever for this wonderful couple who are so badly in need of each other. They do, they need each other SO. BAD. It's not even funny. No one else other than Dex can understand Perry, feel what she's been through and still going through. No one else other than Perry can feel Dex's struggles as if they were her own. And why is this, you ask? It's simple. It's love. They are connected by their souls.
And that's where Dex and Perry are, though they are finding light in their madness. Miss Halle once again brings new meaning to those words inked on Dex's skin. Now that quote makes me want to cry. Especially when I found out about his new tattoo. It's a doozie, guys!!!
Okay, so Dex and Perry are now in search of a...sasquatch/bigfoot creature that has been terrorizing a remote mountainside. Only these people are so odd that even Dex and Perry...after all they've been through, have a hard time believing in the story. The setting is beautiful and cozy...they travel to a lonely cabin on the mountain...it snows almost daily and the reluctant couple have to share not only a bed again, but body warmth too!! Yay!!
Amid the romantic setting is a real weirdo of a mountain guide...he gave me the willies the first time he looked at Perry with angry lust...and also a couple of llamas that add some much needed comic relief. Especially because Dex gets the ass hole llama, and you guessed it...they spit!!
But some pretty freaky stuff starts happening on this mountain, and Dex and Perry are beginning to encounter some things that can't be denied. Soon, they are once again up to their eyeballs in monsters...both of the monsterly kind and the human kind. Only now, they have no one to rely on but each other. Forced into partnership, they are also forced to work on their relationship. It's still not rainbows and flowers, but I say at least they have to be in close proximity. If only they would have some moments of levity!!! Not so...mostly there is scary shit and danger.
It's another mind blowing EIT ride, and it definitely helps move the series forward by leaps and bounds. I can't WAIT to get inside Dex's effed up mind in The Dex-Files. ...more
[image] I'm not going to do much of a recap, just my thoughts on certain things that struck me. There are literally HUNDREDS of off the charts amazing [image] I'm not going to do much of a recap, just my thoughts on certain things that struck me. There are literally HUNDREDS of off the charts amazing reviews for this book/series and I couldn't possibly say it better.
Ellie: Yeah, this girl never really had me warming up to her...up until the last 1/3 of the book or so. Ellie is a con artist through and through. Regardless of how she was brought up, within the grifter lifestyle, she sees EVERYONE as a mark. And she holds a grudge like none other...it's her inability to forgive that shapes who and what she is today. She's caught in her own trap. [image]
"You're so afraid, Ellie Watt. You're afraid to show the world what you're really like. You're afraid to come to peace with your scars, because the minute you do, the minute you accept them, you have to let go of your anger. You have to let go of your quest. And then who would you be?"
So she came across as selfish and self serving to me. My only sympathy comes from how deep she's dug herself into this hole and just how lonely she is, how unknowing and undeserving of love, friendship, and respect...
Camden: [image]Camden is a multilayered dude...the first time we see him is in the time of NOW...he's mid twenties, totally tatted and toned, somewhat self assured, and much, MUCH different than he was in high school. Ellie and Camden have a history, and it's not very pretty. They were tentative friends and then mortal enemies. Ellie was not all that nice to Camden, but then, she's not all that nice to anyone. Camden got the raw deal, that's for sure.
"You think because you can't see my scars that they don't exist? That's the trouble with pain, Ellie. If you're lucky, you can wear it for all the world to see. Most people have their pain deep inside, in places no one ever goes. Not until it's too late."
HOWEVER, once again, Camden uses his past and his childhood to excuse his behavior...because what you see is NOT what you get with him. He's just as big a con artist as Ellie. With one major difference...if I could use one word to describe Camden, it would be VOLATILE. He's on the verge of blowing, at all times.
Javier the elusive, secretive bastard: [image] (I know he's not very hispanic looking, but I love his clothes and the gloves, the look on his face...if I can find someone more appropriate for the very green eyed latino, I'll change this) Javier doesn't get much face time in this book. We know that he and Ellie had a relationship, we know that it was the first of any relationship that ever mattered to her. We know that there was something that happened that made her steal his money and his car and run away, and we know that she's not completely over him.
What we do get of him in this book is far from endearing...he is obsessed with Ellie. He's also beautiful, extremely charismatic, and self assured. On the other hand, he's a stone cold killer and has no compunctions about killing anyone who gets in his way. Let me tell you, folks...NO ONE is safe from Javier.
Still...maybe it's because I've heard so much about him from my friends, maybe it's because Karina Halle is frikking awesome, but there is something about Javier that speaks of something...more. Something bigger, something better, something deeper.
This was not at all what I expected when I started this. I admit to being bored a couple of times in the beginning. That on top of my dislike for Ellie at first is where my lack of a fifth star comes from.
"You're a bad person, Ellie," he said without a trace of irony. She watched him carefully, like a trap ready to spring. "I'm not bad. The world is bad and I'm just trying to survive in it."
I think what finally endeared me to Ellie is (view spoiler)[ how everyone ended up being just as conniving and duplicitous as she was. Her uncle, her parents, Camden, Javier...they all sort of suck in the humanity and empathy department. So Ellie faded into the background and just became a product of her environment. (hide spoiler)]
I'm already started on On Every Street, the prequel novella. I would highly suggest you read Sins and Needles before reading On Every Street. That's how it was published, that's how the author meant for it to be read. Plus, the last line of this book loses it's meaning and power if you've cheated and read the novella first. ...more
Dark, Gothic, mysterious...you can say all of this about Rebecca, but I have to say that none of these really does the book justice.
Yes[image][image]
Dark, Gothic, mysterious...you can say all of this about Rebecca, but I have to say that none of these really does the book justice.
Yes, it's got some dark to it. It's a story of the second wife...the young and naive bride of the rich, powerful Maximus deWinter. A tragic hero whose first wife died a bit less than a year ago. Maxim seems in turns devastated, angry, and confused about Rebecca. And in turn, our heroine...whom we never do learn the name of...what's up with that? My GR friend Cathy gave me her theory, and I wholeheartedly agree, that this glaring omission was a way for this woman to remain stripped of her own identity, immersed in a world in which she is to forever remain in the shadow of the woman who came before...Rebecca.
Rebecca REBECCA REBECCA
I almost got sick of the name. Her metaphorical ghost was everywhere.
"Dear God, I did not want to think about Rebecca. I wanted to be happy, to make Maxim happy, and I wanted us to be together. There was no other wish in my heart but that. I could not help it if she came to me in thoughts, in dreams. I could not help it if I felt like a guest in Manderley, my home, walking where she had trodden, resting where she had lain. I was like a guest, biding my time, waiting for the return of the hostess..."
Granted, the heroine (whom I'll refer to as Mrs. deWinter), is very much a doormat. She is exactly the type of person to let herself be pushed into the background. From the servants constant allusions to the way things were done by "Mrs. de Winter" (i.e., REBECCA!), to Mrs. Danvers, the creepy housekeepers obvious ploys to make Mrs. deWinter uncomfortable in her new home. Even Maxim at times made me question her place in her new life. Sometimes he stuck up for her in subtle ways, but more often, he is an absent character, an absent husband, and even as Mrs. deWinter proclaims her immature, everlasting love and devotion, I couldn't help but feel uneasy about him. It seems that there is always some kind of wall between him and his new young wife. Not only is he twice her age, but he holds on to the past too much.
"He did not belong to me at all, he belonged to Rebecca. He still thought about Rebecca. He would never love me because of Rebecca. She was in the house still, a Mrs. Danvers had said; she was in that room in the west wing, she was in the library, in the morning room, in the gallery above the hall...And in the garden, and in the woods, and down in the stone cottage on the beach. Her footsteps sounded in the corridors, her scent lingered on the stairs. The servants obeyed her orders still, the food we ate was the food she liked. Her favorite flowers filled the rooms...Rebecca was still mistress of Manderley. Rebecca was still Mrs. de Winter."
The biggest thing about this novel is that EVERYTHING IS NOT AS IT SEEMS. In fact, almost nothing is as you think it is. And while the first seventy five percent of the book is dedicated to proving how self deprecating and weak willed the heroine is, the last of the book takes all of your preconceptions and throws them into the ocean to drown with Rebecca!!!! Danvers is still creepy and evil, but I think above all, she's just crazy. Maxim isn't at all indifferent or unsympathetic, or even unloving. In fact, at times I think he is more vulnerable than the new Mrs. deWinter.
There are secrets within the halls of Manderley, this gorgeous, sprawling house amid lush gardens and alongside the tumultuous sea. Honestly, I expected that the Gothic manor home would be dark and dreary, spooky and scary, but that was not at all the case. Manderley is actually portrayed as beautiful and refined, a well run and respected estate...almost perfection. It is regarded by the English as near perfection, just as they regarded Rebecca. So the way that you Manderley is described is this: [image][image]
But the FEEL of Manderley is this:
[image][image]
Because the overall mystery and suspense behind this book lends a sinister vibe to the de Winter's marriage, turning every word from the servants, their friends, and even each other, into phrases with hidden meaning and hidden agendas. What should have been a triumphant rags to riches story for this young girl left alone in the world who catches the eye of the rich and handsome man...no, no, no...it's twisted into something dark.
I can see how this became one of the defining books of the twentieth century. It's just a bit racier than the older classics, with more romance, more touchy-feely (she puts his hand on his knee, oh my!), more gruesome, and maybe a little less PC. Though definitely not PC by today's standards. But the wording and the prose are much easier to read than many of the classics that I've read recently, and the mystery surrounding Manderley and this odd collection of people is truly captivating. I don't tend to even like mysteries all that much, and let me assure you...above all; the romance and the suspense, this is for sure a mystery. There are revelations upon revelations.
I was bored to tears for about three chapters. And then we travel to Manderley and the plot thickens **insert evil laugh** and before I know it, I'm gasping and making my own little predictions...some that I guess right, and others that are complete shockers. And the END,
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Authors just don't end book like that nowadays...there would be quite the uproar, I think. But when it comes to these old books that paved the way for modern fiction...they were truly in a class all their own.
I'm so glad I finally took the plunge!!! *********************************************************
This was listed as one of the most popular romance novels ever written, along with Pride and Prejudice.
**Buddy read with Karen, Cathy, Tea, and Dorota**...more
This is the second of Linda Howard's new-ish books that I have avoided due to lackluster ratings and soAll right, folks...something's going on here...
This is the second of Linda Howard's new-ish books that I have avoided due to lackluster ratings and some very very meh reviews. And this is the second one that I've enjoyed MUCH more than I expected to. Perhaps it's due to my lowered expectations, but I found this to be pretty damn good. Not quite five stars, definitely not my favorite by her but it felt like a Linda Howard story. And I really dug it.
The story is pretty original and kept me guessing, to a certain extent. Lizette is an interesting heroine in that she changes constantly, slowly morphing from a shy, boring, monotonous robot woman into a really dynamic, multifacted, kick ass person. The Shadow Woman heebie-jeebie comes from the fact that she is being pursued by a few different organizations...and she's not sure why. Not to mention the fact that she doesn't recognize her own face.
I felt that the whole face thing was explained....well, not at all really. Yeah, we figure out what happened but it's very glossed over and really left up to a near science fiction tale. Another thing that kept me from loving this as much as I used to love her books was that the hero, Mr. X, or Xavier, and Lizette don't even come into contact until nearly 75% of the story is over. That's way too much alone time for my taste, even under the circumstances that come to light within this story. I can totally understand some readers frustration with this. I actually tend to really love a slow burning romance, and this was even too little too late for me.
But this has that classic LH suspense and mystery, along with (eventual) smoking hot sexual chemistry. The end was climactic and intense, satisfying my need for a solid romantic suspense.
I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a fantastic job. Definitely added to my enjoyment, rather than detracting. ...more
It took me a very long time to get through all of the financial mumbo jumbo at the beginning of the book. To be quite honest, I almost DNF'd this one,It took me a very long time to get through all of the financial mumbo jumbo at the beginning of the book. To be quite honest, I almost DNF'd this one, but my husband and I read it together and he encouraged me to keep truckin' along. I'm very glad I did. I'm normally a romance king of girl, as most of you know. But I try to branch out and often I find that I can really get into different genres. Still, the four stars is due to the slowness at the beginning. The rest of the book deserves a solid five.
This was a fabulously well written book.
The term 'well written' is subjective, and I cringe sometimes when it's overused. I try to stay away from it altogether, but I have to use it here. Stieg Larsson did such a fabulous job in his writing. He managed to convey a sense of melancholy, almost like I was watching an old murder mystery TV show in black and white. Once all of the characters are introduced and their personalities become apparent, I couldn't help but be drawn into this strange-to-me world of modern day spies and investigative reporting, computer hackers and the odd intricacies that tie them all together. The whole time I was reading, I had this anticipatory feeling in my gut, always expecting something big to finally be revealed. I knew that somehow, all of these different stories were intertwined, but it took a very long time to figure out how.
The two 'main' characters, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander, are each such compelling people. Salander is a wild looking, rebellious weirdo, to put it bluntly. But you can tell that she's really a brilliant weirdo. I was thinking a savant, without the idiot...and the way she's made out, its true. She is just so interesting. She's a leather wearing, tattooed girl who has not a single care for how the world perceives her. She also has no true friends, not one in the world. In fact she spurns all forms of affection apart from basic sex, even from those who truly want to be her friend. She just doesn't care enough to WANT a friend, and doesn't trust enough to give anyone that power even if she had the desire to do so. But she's smart. Brilliant even.
Blomkvist is an investigative reporter and part owner of a mildly successful Swedish magazine. In the beginning of the book, we learn that he has just been convicted of libel and sentenced to three months in jail for printing information about a truly bad man that he had no proof for. And he admits, he had no proof. Blomkvist is an honorable man, almost to a fault. Though you don't know this at the beginning, it's more of a feeling that you get as you follow him on his journey throughout the story. In his own way, he is just as complex a character as Salander, only wholly different. He's actually quite the ladies man and for some reason it doesn't come across as skeezy because he's so matter of fact about it. He's not arrogant or proud or even overly confident. He came across to me as a very trustworthy, black and white, comfortably attractive, and a really likeable guy.
The mystery of the book, and how it all plays out, is just remarkable. The decades old disappearance of a girl from a prominent Swedish family seems like a cold case. But the old patriarch of the family has never been able to let it go. He knows he doesn't have a long time left on this earth, and this is basically his last chance to find out what happened to his beloved family member. He hires Blumkvist to take on the seemingly impossible task of solving the mystery.
Maybe it's because I'm not familiar with mysteries that I was so blown away, but looking at the ratings, I see I'm not alone in my opinion. Honestly, I was nothing short of fascinated by this story. Though the ending scene was a bit of a downer, I'm so glad that there is more to the story. I'm hoping that both Salander and Blumkvist both continue to star in the next two books because I just want to stay with both of them longer....more
What do you even say about a Nora Roberts book that hasn't already been said?! I love her, I love her.
I love her heroines...they're strong willed modWhat do you even say about a Nora Roberts book that hasn't already been said?! I love her, I love her.
I love her heroines...they're strong willed modern women that can also be soft and smooshy.
But my GOSH, do I love her men. Roberts can write this perfect blend of alpha male/intuitive sweetheart. In this case, it's Roarke...the new LOVE OF MY LIFE!!!!! I listened to the audio of this. Can I please, please encourage anyone NOT Irish to listen to this series instead of reading it? Because our hero is an
[image]
That's right, accent and all...And oh, yes...I swooned. So does Eve.
"I kind of like it when you carry me. Makes me feel all wobbly inside. Then I feel stupid."
I love Eve! I love Roarke a little more but let's face it...he's rich, he's HAWT, and oh yeah...He's Irish! (Can you tell I love all things Irish?)
Not so much of a review here as a gushfest. But if you're a Nora fan at all and are holding back from this series like me because it is thirty plus books...you've gotta start somewhere, sometime. Get going! This is a bit grittier than her usual Romantic suspense, a bit sexier than even most of her romantic trilogies.
She's still a little fanciful for my taste when it comes to her sex scenes. I swear, her heroines go gently over more swelling crests than I even knew was possible. But I love her! She's proven again and again why she will forever be one of my favorites. I feel like such a poser, reviewing a NR book.
This was a sweet, lighthearted, nothing special contemporary romance. I think Evanovich has made such a name for herself with her humor and the crazy This was a sweet, lighthearted, nothing special contemporary romance. I think Evanovich has made such a name for herself with her humor and the crazy antics of her characters that I've come to expect it from her non-Plum titles. Sometimes she delivers, but not in this case.
The funniest part about this book was the way that Kate forces Matt in to hiring her at the beginning of the book. Matt is a stand up guy who was the wild boy of Keene's Harbor in his younger days. He's come home and is now not only running a successful brewery and restaurant in his old hometown, but bailing out failing businesses with substantial loans and buying the loans of homes in danger of foreclosure. He's a good guy. Kate is a bit on the frazzled side, what with being newly divorced, newly fired, and newly homeless.
When Matt hires Kate to find the person intent on sabotaging his business, this slow burning romance begins. There was an element of mystery and suspense which comes to a head toward the end, but I felt like it was such a secondary plotline as to almost be unnecessary. This would have benefitted from just being a plain ole romance.
One thing I loved about the book was the role of Matt and Kate's pets and how important they are in their lives. I'm an animal lover myself, and Evanovich always shows her animal loving side, especially in her stand alones.
I listened to the audio of this. The narrator did a good job, though I didn't really like her voice for Matt. But she barked when the dogs barked, which was the second most hilarious part of the book.
Overall, if you're expecting an Evanovich book, this isn't it. This is a bit more serious, with a few quirky side characters maybe. Overall, easily forgettable but a good palatte cleanser between angsty or intense reads.
Another pseudo-romance in this romantic suspense. It was a great novel, but again, I get the feeling that the non-existent build up to this relationshAnother pseudo-romance in this romantic suspense. It was a great novel, but again, I get the feeling that the non-existent build up to this relationship was almost an afterthought for this author. Definitely more of a thriller/suspense than romance.
It's frustrating to me that if this had been written by a man, this would never have been thrown under the cloak of a romance novel.
Anyways...the subject of this FBI investigation is sex trafficking, so the subject matter is not for the faint of heart. While there isn't any really descriptive acts of rape, there is a scene or two that made me want to close my eyes...hard to do while reading. Most of the girls and boys involved are underage, so beware if that's a hot button for you.
I will say that Brennan writes with a lot of passion...she does crime lord/FBI badass very well. I love how her heroines/heroes have to skirt the fine line between right and wrong, often crossing that line at key points in the story.
Overall, though I'm disappointed with the lack of relationship build up and kissy faces, I was thoroughly entertained. Great book!...more
This was a lot less romantic and a lot less suspense than I was wanting. Honestly, I'd say around ninety percent of this book was a crime thriller. ThThis was a lot less romantic and a lot less suspense than I was wanting. Honestly, I'd say around ninety percent of this book was a crime thriller. The romantic leads don't even meet until about forty five percent into the book, which in turn leads to a very quick courtship and a fairly unbelievable Happy Ever After. I would have been good with a "Happy For Now" type of ending, but for some reason the author chose to go all the way with these two, and it really didn't work for me.
The psycho crazies that are the perpetrators of some really brutal torture for a group of ex soldiers take up a lot of face time. If you're okay with some medium descriptions of torture, I think you should at least be prepared. Nothing over the top, but it's hard to feel bad for a man who loses his mind after being tortured endlessly for months. Now, the chick who does the killing with him, she is really crazy! A certifiable sociopath who deserves a worse fate than what she got, in my opinion.
Megan, the heroine, and Jack, our hero, are really great together once they finally do meet up. Megan is a touch as nails FBI agent, but she's not an uber bitch feminist either. She's very intuitive and smart. Her biggest holdup is her unfailing sense of right and wrong, no shades of gray. Jack is an ex Special Ops soldier, now a soldier for hire, so his duties lie nearly opposite of Megan's. Yet somehow, these two come together and click in all the right places, both romantically and professionally.
If you can make it through the first half full of plot setup and killer head games, the rest was really enjoyable. Just don't be prepared for a mystery...the whodunnit is a given. And the romance is very much in the background. I also have a feeling that even though this is the first in this series, quite a few of the secondary characters have been in previous series. This is my first by this author, so I can't say that with any authority, but I got the feeling that some of these boys had been around for a bit. ...more
Duchess Nicole
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Books:
genre-mystery-suspense
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