Force of nature – Jane Harper

July 12, 2018July 12, 2018 Book Chick1 Comment

34275222 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Five women go on a hike. Only four return. Jane Harper, the New York Times bestselling author of The Dry, asks: How well do you really know the people you work with?

When five colleagues are forced to go on a corporate retreat in the wilderness, they reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking down the muddy path.

But one of the women doesn’t come out of the woods. And each of her companions tells a slightly different story about what happened.

Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker. In an investigation that takes him deep into isolated forest, Falk discovers secrets lurking in the mountains, and a tangled web of personal and professional friendship, suspicion, and betrayal among the hikers. But did that lead to murder?

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My thoughts: I was under the impression that this wasn’t supposed to be a series. That the first book (The Dry) was going to be the only one. I don’t know why I thought that since everything nowadays is either a trilogy going on five books, a long series or god first book with a number two flopper. I should have been smart enough to foresee that it would be written a second book. Still I was quite happy when I found out that a new one about Aaron Falk was to be released. I do however feel a little let down. I do not find this one as strong as the first and maybe I’m too critical but I don’t feel it quite meet the expectations I had for it. It is not a flopper, just let me state that, but it is not a success either.

It was pretty good. I did like it but I did not love it. Nothing terrible but it was nothing groundbreaking either. A quick but not a deep read and I’m quite satisfied after all. Had trouble with connecting and Falk felt a little slow, grey and boring this time around. There was no real suspense but a good description of a reality so true in this day and age.

However Harper is a great author of the contemporary crime genre with her way of natural, soft flowing and easy rhythmic way of writing. I did enjoy it, but I don’t feel a wow factor in it. I would probably read the next one to if there will be one, but that time I will try not to have high hopes for it. Even though I know that Harper has the ability to write something really good, based on the first book, I have certainly learned I can’t expect the same each time.

Fiction/Science Fiction · Mystery/Crime · Suspense · Thriller/Horror

Intensity – Dean Koontz

January 16, 2018January 16, 2018 Book ChickLeave a comment

33297557 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Edgler Vess is a sociopath intent on murder. He lives for one purpose only: to satisfy all appetites as they arise, seeking ever more outrageous experience. To live with intensity.

When he attacks her friend, Laura, Chyna Shepherd is saved by the instincts developed during a dark and turbulent childhood. Not knowing Laura is already dead, Chyna follows, hoping to save her friend, as Vess carries her body to his motor home – a dungeon and morgue on wheels. The killer, unaware of her presence, drives away. But Chyna is now trapped in his dangerous orbit.

Her sole aim is to get out alive, but when she learns the identity of the killer’s next intended victim, she knows she must act to save that precious life – and take risks beyond any that she ever imagined she could endure.

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My thoughts: It is funny how years and experience can change your point of view and how you perceive the world. I read this book for the first time when I was like 11-13 years old. I think it must have been wrongly placed in the library because they where really strict about children under the age of 15, reading this types of books. And even now, I don’t really see this one as an young adult book. But anyhow, it was the first book I ever read by Koontz and it mesmerized me. Terrified me. Woke my love for thriller, horror and the mystery that is serial killers. Now, like 17 years later, I still like it a lot, but I do not feel the same mesmerized feelings for it as I did when I was younger.

And that is what I mean about how different your point of view gets with age and experience. I remember a lot from the book but there was some really important details that I did not remember an actually surprised me. It was nice to read a book, where I did not remember it all, but still did. Do you know what I mean? And I perceive the book completely different now and what I did then. And in my opinion, there is no horror. It is an thriller and it is great. But I have probably read and seen to much, gotten to jaded, to feel that this is an horror. It does not mean it isn’t good. But I just don’t see it as an horror anymore.

I have read a lot by Koontz but here you can really see that it is his earlier work of art. I feel he writes his book different nowadays and that his older works, usually is better. More real and terrifying. Vess is just such an weird killer, so different from what you usually read about in books. He is just so much more down to earth, smart and not insane and very logical. And THAT is certainly terrifying. Chyna is a little gray and I think that really was the point with her history and all. But it made it a little boring and somewhat repeatable until she got her fighting spirit going and refused to let some asshole decide over her life. Overall a great book, worth to be read by those who likes thrillers and getting in the mind of the characters and see the actions through the killers mind, not only the good guys.

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Romance · Suspense

Wolf Trouble – Paige Tyler

October 11, 2017October 11, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

24763130 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: He’s in trouble with a capital T…

There’s never been a female on the Dallas SWAT team and Senior Corporal Xander Riggs prefers it that way. The elite pack of alpha male wolfshifters is no place for a woman. But Khaki Blake is no ordinary woman.

When Khaki walks through the door attractive as hell and smelling like heaven, Xander doesn’t know what the heck to do. Worse, she’s put under his command and Xander’s protective instincts go on high alert. When things start heating up both on and off the clock, it’s almost impossible to keep their heads in the game and their hands off each other…

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My thoughts: I´m still kind of uncertain when it comes to the genre fantasy/shapeshifters. It´s a little to much make believe for my taste but I still need to say that I really enjoy this series. How weird am I? And a hypocrite! Because I can read and enjoy books about worlds that is so far fetched that make these books look like reality, and still I have problem with them. And I blame the Twilight hysteria of 2008 and forward. I read some of the books before they even was a thought about make them into movies, loved them. When the films came out the hysteria around it wanted to make me gag and ever since I have had such problems with vampires, werewolfs and what not. But i´m trying. There is so many good books out there that I want to take part of.

I did like this book more than the first one. I think it is because the story is a little bit more exciting with the stalker and forbidden attraction and what not. But I would have liked to see/feel more from Khaki since she is a new wolf. Only three months in and I feel she took way to easy on the whole situation. At least one freak out would have made it a little more believable.

I do feel a larger connection with the characters this time. Most of them I have meet before in the first book and I really start to love some of the guys in the group and I can hardly wait to read there own books.

Overall an easy read. Doesn’t make your heart beat to hard and fast and you don’t loose any sleep over it but it is still a great read that I could recommend to those who would like this kind of books.