Review: Bone White by Ronald Malfi

Bone White by Ronald Malfi

My Rating:

I would like to thank Kensington Books for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book.

There was a lot to love about Bone White but I found myself losing interest somewhere along the line. It started off great and I was thoroughly enjoying it but it slowed down nearer the middle and I wasn't as invested in the story as I had been up to that point. It's not that I was bored, I think the suspense was overshadowed by the main characters initial lack of direction once he reached the town of Dreads Hand and the repetitive way that every person in town seemed to treat him. The build up stagnates and meanders along for too long and although it does pick up again the dread and suspense never recovers enough for the ending to be as satisfactory as it should have been.

That being said, the writing was great and the descriptions of the surroundings were vivid and easily pictured in the mind's eye. The atmosphere really drew me in and the feeling of the cold and isolation of the forest came across well. It's just a shame that the middle section of the story didn't work for me.




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Review: Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed

Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed

My rating:

I would like to thank Headline for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book.

Gather The Daughters was a middle of the road read for me. The premise was interesting but it never quite reached its full potential. It didn't have the impact that it should have considering the subject matter. I wanted it to get under my skin but instead, I found it to be predictable and I was left rather disappointed.

The characters came across as carbon copies of each other. There is quite a large cast of young girls in the book and there was only one who stood out from all the others. Things did pick up character wise a little later on in the book but by then it was too late.

All in all, it was ok. I'm not sure I would recommend it though.


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Review: The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter


My Rating:


I would like to thank HarperCollins UK for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book.

I have yet to pick up one of Karin Slaughter's books and be disappointed. The Good Daughter had me completely engrossed from start to end. There are so many fascinating layers to the plot, there's always something going on and the pages couldn't turn fast enough. Every time I thought I had all the information, another layer was revealed and it got better and better with every page turn.

The characters were complex and well developed, they were living, breathing, real people and I was right there with them throughout. I shared their pain, their fear, their anger, and their sadness. I can honestly say that I loved everything about this one.

Definitely one I would recommend.


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Review: Two Nights by Kathy Reichs

Two Nights by Kathy Reichs

My Rating:


I've been a fan of Kathy Reichs for years and have thoroughly enjoyed all of the Temperance Brennan series so I was looking forward to Two Nights. Even more so when I learned that it was a stand alone, but I have to say, I was a bit disappointed.

I didn't particularly enjoy it, it held my attention enough that I finished it but I couldn't connect with the main character, or any of the other characters. They didn't feel real, they were just names on the page and not very likeable at all. The only thing that kept me reading was the plot. I wanted to know how it played out, but even then it was more out of curiosity than need.

Not one I would recommend.



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Review: Savage Jungle by Hunter Shea

Savage Jungle by Hunter Shea

My Rating:


I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book.

Natalie and Austin McQueen set off on another adventure following on from their revenge on good ole Nessie. Like Loch Ness Revenge it's one that's not to be taken too seriously and just enjoyed for what it is. It's a fast, fun, and easy read. It's every bit as enjoyable, humorous, fast paced, and as cheesy as the previous instalment, with lots of madness, creatures, action and adventure.

Well worth a read.




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Review: Kindred by Octavia Butler

Kindred by Octavia Butler

My Rating:

 

As part of the TBR Canine Jar Challenge, Kindred was chosen by Enya. Kindred is her third pick from the jar this year, her previous picks being The Exorcist and Middlesex. 

 
I went into this expecting it to blow my socks off as I've seen many people raving about it, but that's not what happened. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it, it was engaging, the plot was great, and I flew through it in no time, but it wasn't what I was expecting.

The writing was simplistic and easily readable. It didn't require much concentration or dedication to get through and I wasn't expecting that. I don't know if I am disappointed because my expectations were too high, or because the author approached the important topics of race relations and slavery using such simplistic language and writing style.

I went into it with something more complex in mind, a deeper hard to read story and message, but I feel it was overly simplified and somewhat dumbed down in order to entertain or make it a lighter read. I highly doubt it was used as a plot device for entertainment purposes, but at times it felt that way. Perhaps it's a victim of its time, had it been written more recently this wouldn't have been the case as today's readers are more open to the truth of the brutality and realism of slavery.

The above makes it sound like I didn't enjoy it, I did and I'm keen to read more by Octavia Butler, but I'm left with questions. The time travel just happens, there's no explanation given for Dana being pulled back in time. How was Rufus able to pull Dana back to his time? What effect did her interactions with her past relatives have on her present timeline, family, and bloodline?




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Reviw: See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

My Rating:


One for the DNF pile. I can't get into it at all, every time I pick it up I find myself becoming bored and I have to try and force myself to keep reading in the hope that it will improve.

I just don't care for the characters. There's nothing likeable about them in the slightest and I honestly couldn't care less what happens to them or where their stories are heading. I'm not a fan of the writing style either. Definitely not a book for me.

It's taken me 5 days to read 26%, time to admit defeat.

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Review: Gork, the Teenage Dragon: A novel by Gabe Hudson

Gork, the Teenage Dragon: A novel by Gabe Hudson

My Rating:

This is a DNF for me. I'm not a fan of the writing style, it's rather juvenile and reads like someone's high school English homework. The humour wears off very quickly, there are only so many times "my scaly green ass" can be found humorous or used as a descriptor. There was so much repetition throughout the book that it started to get on my nerves. At times it felt like every other sentence started with "Now, ..."

Not a book I would recommend.


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Review: A Life Removed by Jason Parent

A Life Removed by Jason Parent

My Rating:

Detectives Bruce Marklin and Jocelyn Beaudette have put plenty of criminals behind bars. But a new terror is stalking their city. The killer’s violent crimes are ritualistic but seemingly indiscriminate. As the death toll rises, the detectives must track a murderer without motive. The next kill could be anyone… maybe even one of their own.

Officer Aaron Pimental sees no hope for himself or humanity. His girlfriend is pulling away, and his best friend has found religion. When Aaron is thrust into the heart of the investigation, he must choose who he will become, the hero or the villain.

If Aaron doesn’t decide soon, the choice will be made for him.

Yet another excellent book from Jason Parent. This was a lot of fun to read and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was engrossed from start to finish and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The characters are well written and fully fleshed out and there are plenty of twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. The descriptions were vivid and at times had me cringing but I couldn't look away from the page.

A Life Removed has a wee bit of everything that I enjoy: crime, thriller, police procedural, action, and horror, and there is plenty of each to please every reader. It never ceases to amaze me how well Jason Parent can meld different genres together and produce something that is a lot of fun to read rather than a hot mess.

The only mistake was mine... I picked it up late at night and ended up awake into the wee small hours because I kept having to read just one more page...

Definitely one I would recommend.




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