Tag: series

Fiction/Science Fiction · Suspense · Thriller/Horror

Assassin’s code – Jonathan Maberry

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12024990| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: In ASSASSIN’S CODE, the fourth book in New York Timesbestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series, Joe Ledger and the DMS go on a relentless chase to stop an ancient order of killers from plunging the entire world into Holy War.

When Joe Ledger and Echo Team rescue a group of American college kids held hostage in Iran,the Iranian government then asks them to help find six nuclear bombs planted in the Mideast oil fields. These stolen WMDs will lead Joe and Echo Team into hidden vaults of forbidden knowledge, mass-murder, betrayal, and a brotherhood of genetically-engineered killers with a thirst for blood.

Accompanied by the beautiful assassin called Violin, Joe follows a series of clues to find the Book of Shadows, which contains a horrifying truth that threatens to shatter his entire worldview.

They say the truth will set you free…
Not this time.

The secrets of the Assassin’s Code will set the world ablaze.

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My thoughts: Dear Mr Maberry.

You broke me! You broke me to the moon and back and then you put me together with scotch tape and hot glue. Blood seeping trough the wounds, glistening in the night as I lay and think about Joe Ledger and his life. And then I read the last sentence in this book and it is all better again. Almost! So please, do not fuck it up. (Yeah I know you already have written like 6 more books after this one but I can still Wish because that guy need some happiness.)

If I ever was one of those people who wrote letters to musicians, actors, authors, serial killers or what not, this is probably how I would start a letter to Jonathan Maberry. After every book about Joe Ledger, I have felt a little broken, a little hurt but at the same time had this good, warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest. Maberry takes his readers on an exquisite ride through out the horrors of real life mix with the horror of the historical, fantasy, conspiracy tales and mad science. As a child I loved books like Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Dracula by Bram Stoker and every other “supernatural” book my little hands could get. This is just an modern view of old tales in a more exciting form. There to entertain, not to teach and with twist you would not be able to foresee.

I have not written an official review on any of Maberrys books before but they pretty much go the same. The story is phenomenal. The imagination and execution of the story is one of the greatest. This is not generally a genre I read much in and even less if there is not more of an Romantic suspense/horror type of book. Mostly because I often feel a get bored. Long descriptions, not enough dialog and so on is not always the best. But I do not get bored by this books. It is terrifying, exciting and lovable. And you as an reader are there with the characters. There have not yet been a full 5 star rated book (but The King of Plagues was pretty close) and that is because every time I feel i’m missing something. But I cant figure out what.

chapter.PNGJonathan Maberry is also a king on writhing short chapters with a punch and a total effect to wake your curiosity. This picture is the first chapter from the book “The King of Plagues” and I wrote this on my Instagram (this was before I created The Book Chick).

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And it is perfect for those of you who read by chapters and goes like “Just one more chapter” late in the night. 😉

Contemporary · Humor/Funny · Mystery/Crime · Romance

Spotless – Camilla Monk

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Goodreads synopsis: Island Chaptal—nerdy IT engineer by day, romance novel junkie by night—just walked into her messy New York apartment to find Mr. Right waiting for her. No, wait…Mr. Clean.

A gentleman professional killer with a bad case of OCD and zero tolerance for unsorted laundry, March isn’t there to kill her…yet. He wants the diamond her late mother stole for a sinister criminal organization. Island agrees to help him find it, facing the kind of adversaries who dismember first and ask questions later. Good thing she’s got March to show her the ropes. And the guns. And the knives.

The buttoned-up Island is soon having a blast racing from Paris to Tokyo following the clues in her mother’s will, and for the first time, she’s ready to get close to someone. But falling for a hit man may be the very definition of loving dangerously.…

Spotless marks the beginning of Island and March’s ongoing adventures.

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My thoughts: This is the first book of an series that an friend have recommended me. I finally got to the first book and I do not have words for what I’m feeling right now. I’m in love. In love with March and his bad OCD. He is such an broken soul and my heart cries for him. There is an little story in the book (about how he was caught and thrown in prison as an teenager) and it made me cry. It is so bad. Maybe it effected me so much because I have been there, but no longer are. Not as bad anyway. And I can still understand and relate. I really like Island even though that she is a little stupid. Or no, not stupid, but naive is probably the better word. It was some bits in the book that I was just angry at her and her actions. Come one, use your head. You are suppose to be smart. But yeah, if you are a little naive maybe it isn’t that easy.

The story is exciting, speedy and really cliffhanging. I could not stop reading and read this book in one go. I only stopped to eat and use the bathroom. That is how good this book was. But afterwards my head hurt a lot and that I cried to the ending did not help. I can’t handle this long reading sprees as well anymore. I’m getting old. 😉

There is 3.5 more books in this series so I know I will get to meet them all again, but I have had trouble to decide if I should continue the series right away or wait a bit. I chose to wait. Mostly because if the second book is as good as the first, I do not want to start it right before a new work week. I need some free time if it will be the same again. That is how good this book was. 😀

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Romance

Voyager – Diana Gabaldon

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Goodreads synopsis: From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her… and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her…the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland… and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite or forever doom her timeless love.

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My thoughts: It took me a while before I started on the third book in the Outlander series by Gabaldon. That’s because the books are really mentally heavy with a lot of information and feelings and after both the first and second book I have felt emotional drained and need time to put myself together. I did start the third book in February 2017 but was not mentally ready yet and could not finished it. But now (October 2017) I´m trying again. The audio book is separated in three parts, probably because it is so large. I decided that I will be reviewing each part by them self. Mostly because i don’t know or probably will not Finnish this book in one go. There is a high chance of me take a break some times during the book. This review will not be public until I´m finished with the book. So I will try to name dates to make it a little easier.

Part One
27 September – 2 October. Started listening again, had to take a break to finish the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, but did take it up again at 2 October. If you do not know it, there is a chance to be really confuses because the book starts 20 years in the “future” and you feel like you have missed a couple of books. But no this is correct. I have checked. And it will make a lot more sense later in the book. Even though I’m not sure that I like that way it was build. I would want it more in a chronological order. The part One is mostly about what have happen the latest 20 years and it makes my heart hurt. Off course the book is as always good written with the extreme detail work on both history and scenery. The part one ends a little on a cliffhanger so I will start the second part as soon as I get a chance. Life and work needs a place in my life to.

Part Two
10 – 11 October. Part two was a little more slow than first expected. Here we get to met a lot of the characters from the earlier books and that is just wonderful. To “see” them again and read about what they have been up to the last 20 years. I do feel that Claire in this part is a little to much of a diva. She overreact on somethings and I totally understand Jamie and I feel that a lot of what is happening, he do not deserve. Off course there is some traveling (A lot of traveling in this series) and there is some fights and the some love of course. You get to meet new characters who was not even born the earlier books and you get to meet characters that was born but still just an infant. It is wonderful. But the cliffhanger on the end. OH My! Jamie is soo “dead” or he will wish he was!

Part Three
27 – 31 October. Quite happy that I’m now finished with the book. This last part was kind of slow and not as exciting as the rest of the book. There is a lot of traveling and there is some things you just need to know and that was what kept me going.
Ends pretty great and if I use my imagination, I could stop here and not read/listening further in the series. I probably will in the future but now I need a break.

Overall a great book as usual. The first book in the series is still my favorite and this one is the least favorite so far. There is several books left in the series so that can change in the future. Still would recommend this book to anyone who needs something to read.

Adult fiction/Erotica · Contemporary · Romance

Thomas – Liliana Hart

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Goodreads synopsis: Cat Randolph is the best cat burglar in the world. But when a job goes wrong and she’s shot, it’s Doctor Thomas MacKenzie that comes to her rescue. Unfortunately, it’s a lot harder to keep secrets when you’re risking the life of someone you love.

Thomas MacKenzie knows Cat is keeping secrets, but getting her to trust him with them is a slow and steady process. But time isn’t on his side. Convincing Cat to stay in Surrender, Montana is harder than he could have imagined. He just has to make sure that their lovemaking is more addictive than the adrenaline rush she craves.

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My thoughts: Yeah I know that it is a short story and it suppose to be a short, erotic story. But in this one I could not stop thinking on how fast it was going. One minute she was one place and he another, next they where together and before you know it, they have sex and says I love you. Come oooon! It just got a little to much unrealistic for me to really enjoy the book. But if I try to not think about that and just the story itself it was great. Cat is a knock out girl with a lot of courage and skin on her nose. Thomas is a little meek and careful bot overall the book is okey.

 

Romance · Young, New adult/College

Kid – Marie James

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Goodreads synopsis: When Khloe Devaro’s best friend and fiancé is lost to the war in Iraq, she’s beyond distraught. Her intentions of joining him in the afterlife are thwarted by a Cerberus Motorcycle Club member. Too young to do anything on her own, the only alternative she has now is to take Kid up on his offer to stay at the MC Clubhouse. As if that’s not a disaster waiting to happen, but anything is better than returning to the foster home she’s been forced to live in the last three years.

Dustin “Kid” Andrews spent four years as a Marine; training, fighting, and learning how to survive the most horrendous of conditions. He never imagined that holding a BBQ fundraiser for a local fallen soldier would end up as the catalyst that turns his world upside down. Resisting his attraction for a girl he’s not even certain is of legal age was easy, until he’s forced to intervene when her intentions become clear. All his training is wasted as far as he’s concerned since none of that will help him when it comes to Khloe.

Will the self-proclaimed man-whore sleep with a woman in every country he visits as planned, or will the beautiful, yet feisty girl living down the hall throw a wrench in his plan?

My thoughts: Terrible. Is it just me who is getting old and don´t find this type of books that believable and frankly, quite excessive. I mean, come on! It had all the potential to be good. Here you have a young, strong but broken girl/woman who lost her best friend and fiancé. Completely alone in the world and not yet old enough to do something about her situation, makes the depression a factor and the will to live not that strong anymore. In comes the good guy. The good hearted, good guy who just want to help. The guy who sees beyond the walls and layers of barbed wire. They fell in love and….. there it ends. The rest is just immature drama and not really exciting.

The story gets immature and sexually excessive. There is a lot of talk about the same thing from both Kid and Khloe. Then a situation happen and it all just gets worse. And nothing seems real for me anymore. And the whole sexual atmosphere is just to mature and don´t fit in with the characters and its just wrong. No! No, no no. I liked the first book, but this one, no. And quite frankly, I don´t even know if I want to read more of her books now.

Adult fiction/Erotica · Contemporary · Romance · Suspense

Dissent – Jessica Gadziala

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Goodreads synopsis: I lost my virginity when I was twenty-five years old
to a hooker my sister hired because she felt
bad for me. That was six years ago and it’s probably
the least shocking fact about my life.

That is, until I met Darcy Monroe, and
“shocking” took on a whole new meaning…

—

Six years after escaping his cloistered, abusive, fundamentally religious upbringing, ISAIAH finds himself still dealing with the demons of his past, detached from society as a whole, and wholly unable to connect with, or trust, women. He engages in constant, meaningless sport sex with women, trying to numb the feeling of inadequacy inside.
Then he sets his sights on his new neighbor…

DARCY is strong, capable, outspoken, and in no way going to put up with some random jackass next door who decides to make a game of trying to get her into bed.

But Isaiah is relentless. And Darcy finds herself torn between not letting him win, and giving into her own desire.

Just as they start to get close, they realize that something more sinister is afoot and they will both be forced to confront feelings of betrayal that will set their lives in an unexpected direction.

My thoughts: Oh my god, this book was gooood! It was so good that I now regret not to have read it earlier. I mean, I have had it in my kindle for like a year and it has been on my to read list since I read the first book “For a good time, call…” which is about Isaiah’s sister.

I think the reason to why it took me such time to read this one is because I did not like Isaiah at all in the first book. Not so surprising really. But since I really loved Fiona’s story, which by the way also got a five star rating, I could not, not read this book. And i´m so happy now.

The book is dark, just have to warn you there. It´s dark and abusing, but o so good. I fell in love with Isaiah in the first chapter and got to really learn to know him. How he struggles and tries so hard made my heart ache. I was not a big fan of Darcy to an beginning but she eventually grew on me. What surprised me the most is how ruff Gadziala made this book. It is a little unlike her other books. I have a very few triggers when it comes to books, but here there was one chapter that really made me cringed and made me uncomfortable. But I do not regret it for one minute.

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

The Dry – Jane Harper

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Goodreads synopsis: Luke Hadler turns a gun on his wife and child, then himself. The farming community of Kiewarra is facing life and death choices daily. If one of their own broke under the strain, well…

When Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk returns to Kiewarra for the funerals, he is loath to confront the people who rejected him twenty years earlier. But when his investigative skills are called on, the facts of the Hadler case start to make him doubt this murder-suicide charge.

And as Falk probes deeper into the killings, old wounds start bleeding into fresh ones. For Falk and his childhood friend Luke shared a secret… A secret Falk thought long-buried… A secret which Luke’s death starts to bring to the surface…

My thoughts: Wow! This one was so much heavier than I first thought it would be. A really good, old-fashioned crime fiction. Right up my alley and actually that genre I first fell in love with when growing up. It was nice and cozy to be back in a book like this. A book that is so great written, amazing characters and the settings was just like you really was there with them, in the heat and longing for the rain. It´s hard to believe that this is Jane Harpers debut novel. That´s how great it is.

The book was published in 2016 and has since then been a big talk about on the web. Her in my country, the book has not reached as far yet, but I believe this will be a big seller this autumn/winter.

The story is really awesome and makes you as an reader both frustrated and excited. A little slow in the start but it did pick up the speed and in the end I just couldn’t wait to get all the answers. Many did surprise me and I really like the ending. No cliffhanger but a promise that there will be more.

An there will be. The second book about Aaron Falk will be published late September 2017.

Romance

Lazarus – Jessica Gadziala

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Goodreads synopsis: The war was over. The dust had settled. The numbers were increasing. Everything had finally started to calm down. Until one night on a walk, I came across her…

My thoughts: Gadziala is one of my favorite authors if i´ve not told you that before. I love her way to write an her story’s and how many off her series have a connection with each other and that is probably why she is the author I have read the most of. There is always a character in the book that you want to read more about and if that character do not have there own book (yet) you can get glimpses of him/her in the other books. Sometimes I feel like a lovesick teenager when I read her books and gets in love like that. Hehe

This book is number 7 in her The Henchmen MC series and I was quite excited to read it. I really liked Lazarus when he started to appear in sixth book. He was something different and refreshing. Specially after all that had happen throughout the series. Now however i´m a little disappointed. It feels like Gadziala could have done it better. A little deeper, a little more exciting and a lot more suspense would have placed the book higher up on my list. But I´m still glad that i read it and in the book you got to meet a new character who is Weird with a big W. He has his own book and of course I will read it. 🙂

Contemporary · Humor/Funny · Romance · Young, New adult/College

Truth or Beard – Penny Reid

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Goodreads synopsis: Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level-headed good girl, has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life.

His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she’s never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can’t stand him, and she’s pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of her…

But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane’s disdain; therefore she’s unprepared for the reality that is Duane’s insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica’s muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.

Certainly, Beau’s magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-head heart is she willing to risk?

My thoughts: I had this book in my kindle for months. It had such good reviews that I felt that this book/series I needed to read. And when I finally got around to do it, I wasn’t disappointed.

In this book you are introduced to the Winston brothers. There is 6 brothers and one sister. They are a tight family, who hadn’t have the best childhood. They all have their own quirks and seem to be characters I will be falling in love with in the future. This book is mostly about Duane and Jessica. I love Duane. The first impression of him is so wrong and when you get to meet the real Duane, you fall hard. Jessica is a warm and really likable characters. I often has problems with female characters in this kind of books but not Jessica. She is a grown up, funny, strong woman with enough self perspective to stop her self when she sees she is being ridicules. I LOVE THAT!

The whole book was realistic and the story felt real. It was a really great book that many times made my chest retract and give me that anxiety/tingling feeling in my stomach. I was on pins and needles when I read and tried to get to the good parts where the truth was out and everything was as it should be. Unfortunately I was missing something, I felt it was a bit slow sometimes and that´s the reason to why I cant give it a full 5 stars.

It is an adorable book and i really looking forward to read more.

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Suspense · Thriller/Horror

Odd Hours – Dean Koontz

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Goodreads synopsis: The legend began in the obscure little town of Pico Mundo. A fry cook named Odd was rumored to have the extraordinary ability to communicate with the dead. Through tragedy and triumph, exhilaration and heartbreak, word of Odd Thomas’ gifts filtered far beyond Pico Mundo, attracting unforgettable new friends – and enemies of implacable evil. With great gifts comes the responsibility to meet great challenges. But no mere human being was ever meant to face the darkness that now stalks the world – not even one as oddly special as Odd Thomas.

After grappling with the very essence of reality itself, after finding the veil separating him from his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, tantalizingly thin yet impenetrable, Odd longed only to return to a life of quiet anonymity with his two otherworldly sidekicks – his dog, Boo, and a new companion, one of the few who might rival his old pal Elvis. But a true hero, however humble, must persevere.

Haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, Odd is pulled inexorably to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as it seems. Now the forces arrayed against him have both official sanction and an infinitely more sinister authority…and in this dark night of the soul, dawn will come only after the most shattering revelations of all.

My thoughts: Fourth book about the strange but lovable Odd Thomas. Non of the earlier books has been a wow, love and need to read more, and now after this one i´m starting to ask myself, “why do I keep throwing away time?”

Well the answer on that question is “Come on, its Dean Koontz!”. Well, I do really like Koontz and his books and I did really like the first books about Odd and to follow his life. Its just that I don´t really like the writing in this one, and the story is just weird and a complete train wreck. To many page fillers and stuff that sidetrack the story and don´t makes any sense in the end.

No black monsters this time, just weird visions and dreams. More ghosts and completely strange side characters who makes the story even more confusing. No, not one of the greatest books. Time will tell if I ever will complete the story about Odd Thomas.