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

Unsub – Meg Gardiner

34069835| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: A riveting psychological thriller inspired by the never-caught Zodiac Killer, about a young detective determined to apprehend the serial murderer who destroyed her family and terrorized a city twenty years earlier.

Caitlin Hendrix has been a Narcotics detective for six months when the killer at the heart of all her childhood nightmares reemerges: the Prophet. An UNSUB—what the FBI calls an unknown subject—the Prophet terrorized the Bay Area in the 1990s and nearly destroyed her father, the lead investigator on the case.

The Prophet’s cryptic messages and mind games drove Detective Mack Hendrix to the brink of madness, and Mack’s failure to solve the series of ritualized murders—eleven seemingly unconnected victims left with the ancient sign for Mercury etched into their flesh—was the final nail in the coffin for a once promising career.

Twenty years later, two bodies are found bearing the haunting signature of the Prophet. Caitlin Hendrix has never escaped the shadow of her father’s failure to protect their city. But now the ruthless madman is killing again and has set his sights on her, threatening to undermine the fragile barrier she rigidly maintains for her own protection, between relentless pursuit and dangerous obsession.

Determined to decipher his twisted messages and stop the carnage, Caitlin ignores her father’s warnings as she draws closer to the killer with each new gruesome murder. Is it a copycat, or can this really be the same Prophet who haunted her childhood? Will Caitlin avoid repeating her father’s mistakes and redeem her family name, or will chasing the Prophet drag her and everyone she loves into the depths of the abyss?

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My thoughts:

An entertaining serial-killer thriller by an author that is new to me. And when I say entertaining, it was just that, for me. Initially I was going with 4 stars. It is an highly complex story with a lot going on. The depth is surprising and oh so well done. When I say deep, I mean Deep! I read a lot of crime thrillers, specially from a cop’s point of view and the level of plot building is what Gardiner really succeeded with. I can’t say so much more due to spoilers, but when I say that you will probably be surprised, I mean it. I especially liked that the serial-killer doesn’t kill due to sexual fantasies or such. It is a lot more deeper and quite refreshing to say it myself.

So why my “low” rating you may ask? Well it is because the rest didn’t fall right with me. The character building is quite shallow and the writing is choppy. Maybe I’m overreacting because English is not my native language, but it was not smooth to read. It didn’t help me with connecting with the characters either. And that ending! After several pages with high intense suspense and a literal countdown to the end pages, it ends on a note I feel could have been skipped. But it is a series and at least two more books is published so I just hope this “thing” will not be a thing that hunts you throughout the series.

I’m excited to read more and see where Gardiner will go with the story and if she will let us readers go deeper into those characters and not just scratch the surface.

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

Don’t tell – Karen Rose

248086| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: It was a desperate plan. But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own death. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake. Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away. As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago. She is even taking a chance on love with Max Hunter, a man with wounds of his own. But her past is about to collide with the present when her husband uncovers her trail and threatens her hard-won peace. Step by step, he’s closing in on her—and everything and everyone she loves.

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My thoughts:

I have read quite a few books by Karen Rose now and I have to say that this one is probably the one I like the least so far. I did enjoy it even though it got on my nerves. It is over exaggerated and the bad man was so overdone that in the end it bored me. The main character is whining and meek even though she was supposed to be the strongest women of them all. I really like some of the side characters though and an romantic suspense is usually a good read for me even though it is repetitive and predictable.

I know Karen Rose can do so much better so I’m in no means put off to continue reading her books. This one is just going to be placed in the “not so memorable” pile.

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

Forgotten Secrets – Robin Perini

29643051| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: At age ten, Riley Lambert watched helplessly as her sister was abducted from her bedroom. Fifteen years later, she’s channeled the pain of her past into a career as an FBI profiler. Riley devotes her life to bringing violent criminals to justice…and secretly uses government resources to search for her sister, who was never found.

When Riley gets a call from the only man who’s ever swept her off her feet with a killer two-step and dangerous smile—ex-Navy SEAL Thayne Blackwood of Singing River, Wyoming—it stirs up dark memories. Thayne’s sister, Cheyenne, has been kidnapped. There are no leads, and the only witness is the victim’s Alzheimer’s-afflicted grandmother.

Desperate to find Cheyenne, Thayne needs Riley’s expertise. With time running short, they delve into dangerous small-town secrets while fighting against an increasingly ruthless adversary. But when her past and his present collide in a shocking revelation, can they overcome the secrets that have kept them apart?

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My thoughts:

 

I have had this, and I’m not kidding, in my kindle cloud since 2016. It was time to get this one read and I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised.

First of, I did not like Perini’s writing at all. It had no flow and was at times confusing and almost rough to read, if it makes sense. Even some names are “terrible” and extremely hard for me to figure out how to pronounce. That’s not pleasant feeling to have and most of the books I have DNF:ed have been because of the writing. When starting it I actually though for myself that this would be a one, two star rating if I got through it but most likely I would DNF it. Imagine my surprise when the story, character and plot captivated me to such a degree that I devoured the book and ended on a four star rating.

Yes it was great. Surprising, hard to foresee what would happen (Except a few things) and it kept throwing curve balls at you. Great plot building and character development.

I’m happy and satisfied and even though I don’t like the writing that much, I can actually see myself reading the second book about the little town, Singing River.

Romance · Suspense

Hidden star – Nora Roberts

34775583| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: She couldn’t remember a thing, not even who she was. But it was clear Bailey James was in trouble. Big trouble! And she desperately needed Cade Parris to help her live long enough to find out just what kind.

The moment the cool-headed private eye laid eyes on the fragile beauty, she almost had him forgetting who he was. If Bailey was a criminal, Cade would eat his hat. But what was she doing with a satchel full of cash and a diamond as big as a baby’s fist? And how could he unravel this mystery if he kept tripping over his heart?

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My thoughts:

“She is such a pussy who wimps out at every turn of event and every headache that surface together with a flash of memory. “

First off, I did not know this was part of a trilogy where the ending is both unsatisfying and kind of a cliffhanger are happening. It was not quite what I expected but good enough. The plot itself is kind of good and believable. A little easy at the end and everything went by so fast. Entertaining but not enough to continue the series. Nothing I would recommend in the first place and that only due to my “hate” for the characters.

The character Bailey is infuriating. She is such a pussy who wimps out at every turn of event and every headache that surface together with a flash of memory. Then she keeps getting angry at Cade for trying to help. Then she gets angry on him for not only focusing on helping her. Come On? Show some backbone. I just can’t take those type of characters. I was surprised because that is not something I associate with an author as Roberts who is a queen when it comes to write strong, leading, female characters.

Cade on the other hand is an underdeveloped character where you get the feel of much more but never receive it. He is descent enough but noting to shout hooray for. His “love” for Bailey is shallow and uninteresting and the dynamic between those two just don’t work. I felt more of a sparkle between Cade and one of his old flames who visited the story in like, one page. That is not a good thing.

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

The Breakdown – B.A. Paris

29438850| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…

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My thoughts:

“Unfulfilling, a little melodramatic and anticlimactic.”

It is the first time I read anything by Paris and I have to say that I’m surprised over how little I liked it. Had its moments of course, but it was not what I had expected and not really for me and I love Thrillers.

I would call it a straight forward, light, predictable, thriller, where you are not supposed to think too much. The writing is mediocre and the last 50 pages was filled with misspellings. It makes me wonder how many misspellings there was in the whole book. Since English is not my first language, misspellings is mostly something I do, not detect and if I do see some, there is usually a lot more that I do not see. And that it was so many makes me feel that both author and editor just gave up in the end. And the whole “mystery unravelling” through SMS is, for me, a cheap and unimaginative way of unravel all the secrets. The ending is nothing to boast about either. Unfulfilling, a little melodramatic and anticlimactic.

And I didn’t like the character that much. Specially the main one, Cass. How can you be so gullible, naive and whining but still be so “smart” in the end? There are just several things that are contradicting each other and that makes me want to throw the book away. Unfortunately I had made a commitment to read it and in the end it did have some moments and I’m satisfied enough to finish it. I would however not recommend it to a fellow reader.

 

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

Body Double – Tess Gerritsen

591907| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Dr Maura Isles stared at the corpse in the car, at the face illuminated by Rizzoli’s flashlight beam.

It’s me. That woman is me…

Maura Isles deals with death. As a pathologist in downtown Boston, she has seen more than her share of corpses. But never before has the body on the medical examiner’s table been her own.

There can be no denying the evidence though. The dead woman is her mirror image right down to the most intimate physical details. Even more chilling is the discovery that they share the same birth date and blood type.

Then a DNA test confirms that Maura’s mysterious double is indeed her twin sister, and suddenly an already bizarre murder investigation becomes a disturbing excursion into a past full of dark and deadly secrets.

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My thoughts:

“Filled with secrets and mystery that is unraveling into a believable and realistic plot, but without all that gory stuff that is so popular.”

This series is only getting better and better. I threw myself over this one right after I finished the third book and now I feel the need to throw myself over the fifth book to. That is how good this series has turned out for me. This is just another fantastic continuation in the “lives” of Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles and I’m in love. And wow what a plot. Filled with secrets and mystery that is unraveling into a believable and realistic plot, but without all that gory stuff that is so popular.

The story line is not at all like the ones in the TV series and it was perfect. You get to know new things about the characters that has been changed when writing the TV series and that made me even more attached. We also get to follow Isles the most of the time and even though I’m not as huge fan of the book Isles as I am for the TV Isles i enjoyed it immensely.

It is a real page turner. The ending took me by total surprise, fitting but not what I would have wanted. It only fueled my need for more and not surprisingly, I threw myself over the fifth book to. Damns this is good.

 

 

Romance

Sugar – Jessica Gadziala

38353681| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Sugar had known a lot of women in his life. But he’d never met anyone quite like this mermaid-haired, tattooed, pierced, smartass woman named Peyton who made it clear she didn’t want anything from him except as many orgasms as he could give her.

So what was he supposed to do when he realized he did want more? How was he supposed to get this woman who was so committed to non-commitment to take a chance on him? Or convince the loansharks and ex-armed robbers that loved her that he was worthy? All the while trying to figure out how a dead man from his past had somehow come back to life… and why he was coming for him…

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My thoughts:

“So overall I may be a little too generous with the rating, but even though I did not like it as much as the others, I still enjoyed it.”

12 books! 12 books I have so far read in the Henchmen series, and a number of others from the same universe and I love it and I love Gadziala. I love her characters and her easy way of writing but I have mixed feelings for this one. I freaking love Sugar and Peyton and the fizzy chemistry between them. Sugar is cool and layback while Peyton is… well she certainly wins the first price in craziness and is all over the top at all times. But I think the biggest problem with the book is the fuzzy plot. Nothing really happens until like 90% in, and that is over long before it even started. Kind of anticlimactic when you get all that build-up but no real release. It felt rushed and a few parts was kind of boring and in the end there are a few things that didn’t make sense. I will however not dive into that pit of thoughts due to spoilers.

I was just expecting more. Specially sine Peyton belongs to both Mallick and Rivers family, kind of, and I thought the V thing would escalate but that was completely “dead”. So overall I may be a little too generous with the rating, but even though I did not like it as much as the others, I still enjoyed it. And that makes the difference.

Contemporary · Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense

Sizzle – Julie Garwood

6671931| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Lyra Prescott, a Los Angeles film student, is closing in on graduation and facing important decisions about her future. She’s already been offered a job at her hometown TV station, an opportunity that could ultimately launch her dream career as a film editor. But heading back home would also mean dealing with her overprotective brothers, social-climbing mother, and eccentric grandmother. Unsure of her future, Lyra dives into work on her final school assignment: a documentary transformed by a twist of fate into a real-life horror film.

After she unwittingly captures a shocking crime on camera, a rash of mysterious, treacherous incidents convince Lyra that she’s trapped in a sinister scenario headed for a violent ending. Running scared, she turns to her best friend, Sidney Buchanan, whose connections bring dauntless and devilishly handsome FBI agent Sam Kincaid into Lyra’s life. As the noose of deadly intrigue tightens and the feelings between them deepen, Lyra and Sam must place their faith in each other’s hands – and stand together against the malevolent forces about to break loose.

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My thoughts:

“So it is not a full pot in rating but still just what I needed.”

Garwood has this nice way of writing which makes you feel warm and captivated by her books and this one was no exception. This time it is even a little funny. Not only does we follow the good guys, Lyra and Sam, but also some of the bad guys, and one of them is hilarious. He prides himself with being smarter than everyone else but in the end he keep taking those not so smart decisions which is resulting in some funny situations. It fit perfectly and I wanted more of it.

The plot is quite believable if not a little exaggerative and the relationship between Lyra and Sam feels a little forced. To much of that instant attraction and not enough off actual conversation between the main characters. And I would have loved to get more of Gigi and the whole tornado around her. She is one heck of a good character and I would totally read a book only about her. So it is not a full pot in rating but still just what I needed. Been having trouble with a reading slump lately that I’m trying to dig myself out off it.

This is the 8th book in the series and that Garwood still can keep me captivating I find it somewhat impressive. Specially since the books, I so far have read, are between 10 and 20 years old. But it still does not feel old fashioned.

 

 

Fantasy/Paranormal · Romance

Lover revealed – J.R Ward

42898| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Butch O’Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he’s the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world—to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He’s got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who’s way out of his league. If he can’t have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers…

Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he’s found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him…

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My thoughts:

“He is like the perfect character with a moral compass always pointing in the right directions but still this ruff , broken and hurting man with an hell of a history.”

This was quite a hard review to write. I feel kind of indifferent toward it. I really liked to read about Butch aka. Cop O’Neal and Marissa, but at the same time I do not feel much for the story itself. The dynamic of the characters around and in the Black Dagger Brotherhood is still as fantastic as usual. There is also some characters outside of the brotherhood who we are learning to know more and more. But the rest is starting to be somewhat repetitive and bored me out most of the times.

I love Butch. He is like the perfect character with a moral compass always pointing in the right directions but still this ruff , broken and hurting man with an hell of a history. It was even better to really get to know him and learn about his history and the plot twist made sense and fit perfectly. Marissa however I did not like as much in the beginning. But when she finally took a firm grip of her own life and “grew” a spine, she also grew on me.

My favorite part of the book is however the virginity thing.  This is probably the first time I have ever read a realistic telling about the first time and that it is not perfect for many women. That you get just a little pain but after a couple of strokes an explosive orgasm is braking through your body. No! Come on! Ward did a great job with an realistic telling about the emotions and confusion and I just feel it somewhat ironic that it is where the character is a vampire. They are supposed to be bad asses. But I’m not complaining. At least I now know that there is one book out there who have it somewhat realistic and not a fantasy.

Contemporary · Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense

Dirty laundry – Liliana Hart

36303602

| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: A new novel in the New York Times bestselling series: Coroner JJ Graves and her husband Sheriff Jack Lawson are back on the job when the body of an elderly woman is found in Bloody Mary.

Rosalyn McGowen is everyone’s favorite great-grandmother. She always has baked treats in her bag, she smells of roses, and she takes in stray cats. No one knows who could hurt a sweet old lady. But Rosalyn isn’t exactly as she seems. Every Thursday at noon Rosalyn secretly posts The Bloody Mary Tattler on social media, and it has everyone in town both captivated and horrified.

When Rosalyn’s secret is discovered along with her body, it’s not easy for JJ to determine her death as a homicide. But it’s not long before they discover the list of suspects is endless and Rosalyn didn’t exactly take all of her secrets to the grave.

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My thoughts:

“There relationship is so well written, it feels natural and realistic and it is easy to connect with.”

Another brilliant J.J Graves story from Liliana Hart. I read book 4.5 in the series several years ago and then I quite forgot about the series while waiting for book five. It was nice to pick up the thread again. I really like Harts writing where you get this warm, fuzzy feeling and even though the book about murder, death and human eating cats, there is also an aura of a feel good book at the same time. Mostly because I love JJ and Jack. Their relationship is so well written, it feels natural and realistic and it is easy to connect with. This time the book also has the feel of a mix between “desperate housewives” and “Midsomer Murders”. Such a fun story and plot to follow.

The conclusion in the end was however somewhat rushed and rich in details. It was a little hard to keep up with it to understand who the killer was and the why’s. It also ended on a major cliffhanger and we still haven’t received the whole truth around JJ’s dead parents. There is just so many loose threads floats around and it is time to knot some of them and be done with it. It is time to reveal those secrets.