At A Glance A solid mystery/suspense. The Good As a journalist for a travel magazine, Lo is given a career making assignment, one week of indAt A Glance A solid mystery/suspense. The Good As a journalist for a travel magazine, Lo is given a career making assignment, one week of indulgence on a small luxury cruise. Despite the drama with her boyfriend and a recent break-in at her apartment that has left her emotionally paralyzed with fear, she toughs through it. It starts out great with beautiful scenery and lush décor, but soon all goes wrong. Lo witnesses a murder and no one believes her. Obviously, it's up to her to solve the mystery, but someone on board will go to any length to keep secrets buried.
Though Lo wasn't my favorite character, I found the story fascinating. Is Lo crazy? Is she telling the truth? I could easily see how unreliable she is as a witness but I felt bad for her when no one believed her. What a crappy situation, feeling so alone and ganged up on with a killer on the loose and no communication with the outside world. It wasn't a super hard mystery to solve but it did take me some time to figure things out. I was even surprised by a few reveals.
The twists and turns kept my interest the whole time. The altering points of view and past and present jumping really made the whole story feel foreboding. I loved this unique take on mystery/suspense. Plus, the ending was perfect. The Bad Lo was such a whiner. She really got on my nerves. I don't like weak main characters. To top it off, she was a horrible reporter/journalist. She had other people do most of the sleuthing while she cried in her cabin. The Snuggly This is not a romance, but we do witness some relationship stuff. There is sex but it's not described at all. Final Thoughts The Woman in Cabin 10 was a solid mystery and suspense. I especially loved how it all turned out. I will keep reading more from this author.
Quotes “My friend Erin says we all have demons inside us, voices that whisper we're no good, that if we don't make this promotion or ace that exam we'll reveal to the world exactly what kind of worthless sacks of skin and sinew we really are Maybe that's true. Maybe mine just have louder voices.”
“I know what it's like. Don't you see? I know what she must have felt like, when someone came for her in the middle of the night. That's why I have to find out who did this to her.”
At A Glance So much love for this book I can barely stand it. The Good Yay, finally a five star book. It feels like it's been forever. I loveAt A Glance So much love for this book I can barely stand it. The Good Yay, finally a five star book. It feels like it's been forever. I love everything about He Will Be My Ruin. I had my guesses on the whodunit. I don't want to reveal too much but I was surprised in the end.
Tucker is a genius. I seriously considered every single person a possible suspect at one point in the novel. No one was safe. I was mesmerized as Maggie dug deeper and deeper into Celine's death. Some of the things she finds out are so heartbreaking I don't know how she got through it. You can never imagine that one death can bring out so many secrets and lies. Maggie didn't give up and never wavered despite the personal toll on herself. She was a true friend to Celine, that was obvious.
Each character had their own story and own secrets. I loved how all the puzzle pieces slowly fit together. There were so many facets to this mystery that I, not for one minute, could figure out how they all fit together. I wish I could say more but you honestly have to experience this book untainted of hints.
If you loved Tucker's other books, you will love this one just as much or even more. Mystery/suspense was no challenge for her at all. The Bad At first I didn't really feel like reading a mystery so the beginning felt slow, then I saw the pure awesomeness of this book and got over my reluctance. The Snuggly Surprisingly there is some sex in this mystery. It felt real and nothing super sexy or descriptive. Final Thoughts Tucker book lovers need to grab He Will Be My Ruin right away. If she is a new author to you, why not experience her for the first time with a 5 star book? You will not be disappointed. Very, highly recommended.
Quotes I gingerly unfold the paper that’s obviously been handled many times, judging by the crinkles in it.
My eyes widen.
A naked man fills one side. He’s entrancingly handsome… lying on his back, one muscular arm disappearing into the pillow beneath his head, a white sheet tangled around his legs, not quite covering the goods…
Who the hell is this guy and why didn’t I ever hear about him? And where is he now? Where were they together last?
Does he know that she’s dead?
… I slowly fold the paper back up. Celine’s cursive scrawl decorates the back side in purple ink. Words I hadn’t noticed before.
Words that make my heart stop now.
‘This man was once my salvation. Now he will be my ruin.’
At A Glance So much action and suspense! The Good Let me just warn you that this is the second book of a duology, so there will be spoilers oAt A Glance So much action and suspense! The Good Let me just warn you that this is the second book of a duology, so there will be spoilers of book one in my review.
Boy, this book starts with action from page one and just doesn't stop. Sophia and the other super soldiers are just hours into their escape and hiding from the secret government agency RedZone, a horrible place of lies, experiments, and death. Despite their best efforts, the bad guys always find them and the group is getting desperate. Should they keep running or should they fight back?
I loved the set up of Sophia's altering POVs in different points of time. It built the mystery and suspense up to perfection. We got one piece of the truth at a time, just like Sophia did, until the pieces of the puzzle all fit together just at the end. I like how Kyle and Cole fit into the picture but we weren't sure in what aspect. I really had my doubts, so Martin did her job.
Sophia and the other characters all grew a lot. I am hopeful for their futures now. The ending was satisfying in every way. I love when an author makes sure to answer all the questions we might have. The Bad I expected a little more complexity in some areas. Except for that one surprise/mystery aspect, the plot was pretty straightforward. The Snuggly I am trying to steer clear of romance for a couple of weeks just to kick myself out of this reading slump, so Resist was perfect. Yes, there is slight romance, like almost every book has, but it was subdued. A little angsty but I think Sophia and Kyle are cute together. There is sex but it's completely skipped over. Final Thoughts This was a very good set of books and I would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for a YA/NA suspense story with a little sci-fi mixed in.
Quotes At RTC, I read Audrey's copy of Frankenstein one afternoon, and staring in horrified pity at the E, I understand that story in new ways. It is Frankenstein's monster, not comprised of dead men's body parts but of mad technologies. A fully empathic creature that was failed by its creators and is seeking revenge. A step in my own evolution.
I don't want to help hunt it down. I want to set it free. But that's not the right reaction. It can't be free for the same reason Frankenstein's monster couldn't be free. The outside world is no place for it.
At A Glance So dark, so messed up, so yummy. The Good So, this is all Christy's fault. She got me to read With Visions of Red and I blame herAt A Glance So dark, so messed up, so yummy. The Good So, this is all Christy's fault. She got me to read With Visions of Red and I blame her for the dirty/scary thoughts she has put into my mind by forcing me to read this book. Like gun to my head force. I was in no position to deny her. If you read her blog, you'd know what I mean. The shit she reads! She scares me. ;)
So we have this fucked up serial killer/rapist who messed with my mind the whole book. Every time we got to see the world and his victims through his eyes, I was both excited and sickened. I'm I the only one who has this fear of reading about a psychopath and agreeing with some of his points or seeing his logic? Oh, that's just me? Never mind. *coughs* Seriously, this killer is all about the pain, blood, and screams. Logic and compassion have not touched this asshat for some time, or ever. That's why I liked him so much! :D
Sadie has gone through some shit. The kind of stuff that would have left me numb and drooling in a corner the rest of my life. But she took her horrible past and decided to use her knowledge of sadistic killers and help bring them to justice. Yay Sadie! You go girl! Now, that's not saying she isn't a little messed up from what happened to her but she hides it well. Until Colton walks into her life with some rope and all too knowing eyes. He sees the real Sadie and he likes what he sees, maybe a little too much. Colton was an odd duck. I am still unsure what to think about him, but I had to give him props for his rope work. He can tie up a body to perfection.
The mystery had me chomping at the bit. The characters are all so gloriously effed up there is no way you can be bored with this one. I just wanted more! The Bad I wish Sadie had more control over herself when around Colton. Obviously the stuff that happened to her has made her vulnerable in some areas but I just don't like the excuse of "I can't help myself." It seems too convenient.
I didn't mind the cliffhanger, but I did mind that the book stopped in the middle of the story. That wasn't an ending, that was an incomplete book. The Snuggly So dark, so tingly. The sex is kind of messed up because of the situation, but I loved it. There is a lot of bondage and rough play. The peek inside that world was intriguing to say the least. Oh, and there is rape, though not much detail, so be prepared. Final Thoughts Wow. Well, that got me out of my reading slump. I can't wait to read the next book because that cliffhanger was killer. We are just getting into the good stuff! Very, highly recommended.
Quotes “Obsession. It starts with a spark. A flicker. At the strike of a match. Lying dormant in most of us, obsession feasts on the fumes, breathes in the smoky scent, curing around and in on itself. Building. We pet it, nurse it into existence. It is ours. All ours. A coveted perfection. And when it refuses to be ignored, it rages. It roars to life. A building inferno. Consuming. We are but pawns to its deceptive power. Though we attempt to guide it, caress it tenderly into a loving beauty, it can not be controlled. It’s a haunted, vengeful lover. Like a wildfire devouring life within it’s path, we can only follow it’s carnal trail.”
“I now know what evil lurks where even the light is afraid to shine.”
At A Glance No too much spying but lots of deep emotion. The Good They Call Me Alexandra Gastone was all about Alexandra Gastone aka Melina. At A Glance No too much spying but lots of deep emotion. The Good They Call Me Alexandra Gastone was all about Alexandra Gastone aka Melina. Who would have thunk with that title, right? hehe. Don't go into this one expecting a major spy thriller. This is very much an emotional read about a spy who doesn't want to be a spy.
I got caught up in this story really fast. It seems slow, but Alexandra was so interesting it was hard to be bored. She struggles through the book in choosing between her allegiance to her country, Olissa, and doing bad deeds for the radical group that trained her or admitting her growing love for her new life, family, and for the US. Hard choice for a girl who became a sleeper agent at age 11 and was trained to hate America earlier than that.
Alex was the star of the show. The person she became was really beautiful. Despite her upbringing, her capacity for love and sincerity was amazing. Albert was a great grandpa to her. So supportive and thoughtful. I would have loved to have had a relationship like that with my grandpa. Grant, Alex's boyfriend, was the BEST. He was the perfect boyfriend in every way. I felt really bad for him because he got the raw end of the deal in this story.
The action and spying picked up near the end. I never saw the twist coming. So shocked! I am assuming this will be a series and I would continue it if so. The Bad I expected something different. There isn't much action, spying, or espionage. There is some, it just wasn't enough for my expectations.
Alex's inner monologues were a bit much. I both loved and hated them. The Snuggly Grant and Alex don't get too sexual (very YA), but they are adorable together. I wish they had more real time together. Final Thoughts I felt very satisfied with They Call Me Alexandra Gastone. I wanted a little more spy stuff but I like how everything ended. Very recommended.
Quotes “Family is what could motivate a man to knowingly house a spy. it could give him the fortitude to look her in the eye and pretend he cared.”
“I'd played a part for so long, who was I? A spy? A granddaughter? A high school student? A friend? A liar? A traitor? I was all of these people, and the contradictions where starting to rip me apart.”
I went into Look Behind You blind. I didn’t know what it was about, and to my pleasant surprise, it was a psychological thriller, which is not a genre I read a lot. Right from the start I was hooked. Chloe finds herself kidnapped and left to die in an underground room. But when she escapes, that’s when the fun begins. Because no one believes that she was kidnapped. All evidence points to a psychotic break, but Chloe knows the truth…or does she?
Even though I felt like I knew what the truth pretty early, I liked the curve balls thrown at us. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if Chloe really did make up everything in her head. Chloe is the one who follows her trail of breadcrumbs to the true story. I felt bad for her because literally no one believed her. So frustrating and scary. Chloe was so determined though, which made me like her a lot.
The tension was high the whole way through. I felt like Chloe couldn’t trust anyone. She really was on her own. A very clever plot with some creepy characters that will give you the chills. I was captivated the whole time.
The Bad
Somewhat of a Spoiler ahead! I knew who the killer was from the get go. Other suspects are thrown in to confuse us, which was a good attempt, but I always knew. I didn’t hate the fact that it was obvious because I was still nervous for Chloe, but it would have been more fun if the mystery was harder to crack.
The Snuggly
No sex per se, it’s more like kinda forced sex that is just crossing the line to assault. But we get no details, so I didn’t feel too uncomfortable. But I was surprised by the direction the romance went it this one. It was interesting.
Final Thoughts
A very good psychological thriller through and through. If the outcome was less obvious, it would have been over the top good. But I enjoyed myself every minute. I will be looking out for this author for now on. Highly recommended.
Quotes
“Your confidence and self-esteem have withered away, but the very person you want to get away from is the one you rely on most. And you don’t know when it happened. Can’t pinpoint an exact day, week, or month, because it’s a gradual, subtle process. It creeps up on you slowly. So slowly that you don’t realize you’re bending, breaking, and becoming a different person. A woman who’s not happy, not living her own life, but the life her husband wants instead.”
“Physical wounds can heal, can’t they? But it takes a long time to recover from having your self-confidence and self-esteem crushed to nothing. I watched him smother the life right out of her”
“It’s why I picked you. You were feisty and independent, but if you scratched just under the surface, you were vulnerable and fragile. It’s so easy to mould someone into what you want. Watch them turn into your perfect woman and know that it’s all just for you. Their energy dies, and they become compliant and eager to please. It’s all just a matter of control and time.” ...more
I think I needed that. I needed my blood pumping and brain tingling from all the conspiracy goodness.
We don’t know who Sophia is for sure, and neither does she. We are in the dark together. We get to discover everything as she does, and it’s one twisted tale.
Expect a lot of twists and turns. Sophia’s narration made this a fun read from beginning to end. There was never a dull moment. And each character made the story that much more interesting. Kyle, with his sweet, caring demeanor but obvious secrets. Fitzpatrick, and her extreme bitchiness on all levels. Sophia’s friends were all pretty amazing too.
I am so happy I got a chance to read Revive. It covered a lot of genres from suspense, thriller, and sci-fi. We also get an assassin vibe with a hint of government corruption.
The Bad
I wish there was more chase scenes. I feel like they ended too soon, and they were the best part!
The jumping back and forth between past and present got on my nerves. It made sense for the story but I can’t help how I felt.
The Snuggly
There is a bit of a love-triangle, but it didn’t bother me. This wasn’t about the romance, which was good. But it was there to keep things interesting.
Mostly kissing and stuff, fine for NA or YA.
Final Thoughts
Just a few complaints but overall, an amazing read. I really enjoyed myself the whole time. Very recommended.
Quotes
“A good spy is constantly observing. They know their surroundings. Your surroundings are your camouflage and your arsenal.”
It’s a woman’s voice I hear in my head, but not the same one as before. That voice was young and makes me feel happy. This voice is deep and harsh. It makes my muscles tense. I don’t know who the speaker is, but the advice sounds like something I’ve heard a million times.
Well, four hundred and seventy-one times to be specific. Whatever. How do I know that? ...more
http://badbirdreads.com/review-joe-h-...At A Glance Good and bad. The Good Even though there was a lot I didn't like, I was strangely drawn thttp://badbirdreads.com/review-joe-h-...At A Glance Good and bad. The Good Even though there was a lot I didn't like, I was strangely drawn to this book. The tension was nonstop. I liked getting inside the head of a psychopath. Yeah, I'm weird like that. I liked Joe and her inner-turmoil. She was a very meek and quite person, but she had strength, even when she doubted herself. A few of the other characters were interesting enough to keep my attention as well.
The concept of a school shooting hits close to home for me. My brother had a close call at the Columbine high school shooting. It's such a horrible thing to read about but it's kind of important too. I think it's important to be aware of these things and try to do all that we can to prevent them. Even though in Joe the killer is a psychopath, sometimes the killers are just kids who are bullied or abused. It's freaking sad and horrible.
Anyway, this book made me tear up because of the subject matter and even the ending, but I am happy I read it. The Bad I am not sure, but I don't think this was a well written book. However, it might just be that I didn't like the writing style. The POV kept changing from omniscient to 3rd person, and there were six or so POVs all together. It was odd and felt disjointed.
The foreshadowing was waaaaay overdone. Each chapter ended in a foreshadow and it was too melodramatic. Too much information was given away. I would have rather been surprised by events instead of told they were coming.
The book felt way too long! I almost gave up two times. I started skipping paragraphs just to get to the point. The story didn't need to drag on that much. The Snuggly There was a little romance but nothing to write home about. But, obviously, that wasn't suppose to be the focus anyways. Final Thoughts I don't think I would continue this series. Too much went wrong for me, but I don't regret reading it. Not recommended.
Quotes “Evil is not just a thing of fairytales. Evil is real and it walks among us. Evil is jealousy and hate and fear and fire.”
“It’s always easier to pick up the pieces as a knee-jerk reaction, as something blindsides us, when we don’t see it coming over the horizon. That is how life was supposed to work. No one wants to watch the beast as it slowly approaches, its glistening jaws snapping and its head lowered and stomach growling. Most of us know this. We know that when things happen—and things do happen—they come from nowhere. At least from nowhere our eyes can see. But we ignore this hard fact of life. Which is fine. Which is good. Which is right.”
“Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. –Susan Ertz”
http://badbirdreads.com/review-joe-h-...At A Glance Good and bad. The Good Even though there was a lot I didn't like, I was strangely drawn thttp://badbirdreads.com/review-joe-h-...At A Glance Good and bad. The Good Even though there was a lot I didn't like, I was strangely drawn to this book. The tension was nonstop. I liked getting inside the head of a psychopath. Yeah, I'm weird like that. I liked Joe and her inner-turmoil. She was a very meek and quite person, but she had strength, even when she doubted herself. A few of the other characters were interesting enough to keep my attention as well.
The concept of a school shooting hits close to home for me. My brother had a close call at the Columbine high school shooting. It's such a horrible thing to read about but it's kind of important too. I think it's important to be aware of these things and try to do all that we can to prevent them. Even though in Joe the killer is a psychopath, sometimes the killers are just kids who are bullied or abused. It's freaking sad and horrible.
Anyway, this book made me tear up because of the subject matter and even the ending, but I am happy I read it. The Bad I am not sure, but I don't think this was a well written book. However, it might just be that I didn't like the writing style. The POV kept changing from omniscient to 3rd person, and there were six or so POVs all together. It was odd and felt disjointed.
The foreshadowing was waaaaay overdone. Each chapter ended in a foreshadow and it was too melodramatic. Too much information was given away. I would have rather been surprised by events instead of told they were coming.
The book felt way too long! I almost gave up two times. I started skipping paragraphs just to get to the point. The story didn't need to drag on that much. The Snuggly There was a little romance but nothing to write home about. But, obviously, that wasn't suppose to be the focus anyways. Final Thoughts I don't think I would continue this series. Too much went wrong for me, but I don't regret reading it. Not recommended.
Quotes “Evil is not just a thing of fairytales. Evil is real and it walks among us. Evil is jealousy and hate and fear and fire.”
“It’s always easier to pick up the pieces as a knee-jerk reaction, as something blindsides us, when we don’t see it coming over the horizon. That is how life was supposed to work. No one wants to watch the beast as it slowly approaches, its glistening jaws snapping and its head lowered and stomach growling. Most of us know this. We know that when things happen—and things do happen—they come from nowhere. At least from nowhere our eyes can see. But we ignore this hard fact of life. Which is fine. Which is good. Which is right.”
“Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. –Susan Ertz”
At A Glance Not what I expected. The plot and concept just didn’t come together for me.
The Good I do love me a good vigilante book. I love when people get to get revenge or justice on the bad people of the world, and that’s what Psycho Inside Me provided.
I did enjoy some of the story. It was nerve-wracking and exciting.
The Bad In the end, I think this book was written more for the author than the readers. If you read the acknowledgments at the end, you find out why Bonnie wrote this story. I am happy that the author found a way to deal with her past, good for her. But I do feel like you can tell that Psycho Inside Me was not written with an audience in mind. There was not much of a plot. There was not much of a romance. The story was not well thought out. It just fell flat in almost every aspect.
I was most disappointed with Cassie. I thought I was going to meet this strong heroine that took out justice on the asses of rapists and child molesters. Yeah, no. She was too impatient, which made her sloppy with every kill. If not for Deegan, Cassie would have been raped and/or killed from the get-go and with every target afterward. Deegan is the one who did most the work. Cassie was just the bait. Cassie wasn’t the organized, meticulous killer I was hoping for.
The Snuggly Deegan was too bipolar when it came to Cassie and him. They never really had a relationship even though they obviously liked each other all because of stupid reasons. I found it more frustrating than tantalizing. Even at the end, I was not satisfied with their relationship.
Warning, this book contains uncomfortable topics like rape and child molestation. Some scenes are graphic.
Final Thoughts This was not my cup of tea. Psycho Inside Me had a rough but interesting concept but the execution was lacking in a lot of areas. I would not recommend this book to anyone but I can say people on Goodreads seem to love it, so it might just be me. No recommended.
Quotes “You, doll. You’re the someone else. I can’t feel like this about you and really be with anyone else. Having a girlfriend holds the other chicks at bay. Plus, she doesn’t ask questions. She doesn’t care. I can’t have you like I want, so I make it seem like I have what I want.”
I smiled at Deegan, who watched me with a territorial glint in his eyes. The thought that he considered me his, if only for the night, lightened me even more. I had no guilt, not for a few minutes. Not then. Not when we’d succeeded – again.
He pushed me forward on the swing. “You’re so pretty. I just thought you should know that.”
“Every time I’ve met with you and one of these guys has gone down, a small piece of me feels avenged. We can’t stop, not yet. I just don’t want you getting hurt. I can’t handle that you’re touched and injured every time and I don’t know about it until afterwards.” ...more
At a Glance It took me quite some time to get into this book, but once I did I enjoyed it and all its creepy glory.
The Good After accepting a ride home from a stranger, Sam and Lloyd find themselves trapped in a mansion by a deviant madman. With Lloyd catatonic with fear, it's up to Sam to get them out of this mess. If only there wasn't a twenty foot fence keeping them within the property and within the kidnapper's grasp.
The Long Weekend was pretty good once it got going. It became very intense once Sam realized that this strange man was not there to entertain them but to do horrible, unspeakable things to them. His best friend Lloyd, being too trusting, lets the stranger separate them into two different rooms, and that's when things really go downhill. Barely escaping the madman's demented plans, Sam is now on a mission to find Lloyd and get them out before they both get killed.
I really respected Sam for his tenacity and bravery, especially since he is only 11 years old. He takes charge, risking his life to save his friend and trying to find a way out of their ordeal. Even when Lloyd withdraws into himself, Sam never leaves him behind. His resourcefulness was astounding. Without Sam's strong determination, I don't think either boy would have had a chance of surviving.
I was truly scared for both the boys. We knew so little about the man that took them that I didn't know what to expect from him. This book really plays on your emotions. I went from anxious, to sickened, to hopeful, then aggravated as the story went on. And the ending was perfect. Nothing was left unanswered, it wrapped things up 100%. I still have chills just thinking back to this book.
The Bad I read the first 3 pages and put this book down and did not pick it up for about a week. I know this is not a YA book but the main character is 11 years old so the writing is very childlike since we are in his point of view. It made it very hard to get into the story. Also, there was way too much backstory in the beginning. I get why Kalhan did it that way, but it really gave a bad first impression.
The Snuggly This book contains implied child molestation, nothing graphic but very unsettling.
Overall The Long Weekend was a powerful and shocking read once it got to the meat of the story. Sometimes it was hard to take, knowing what these boys were going through, but it happens in real life so it's not unrealistic. This thriller was a quick read that left me breathless. Recommended for horror/thriller readers.
Quote “Fear made you cold. It made you tremble. Anger made you hot. It made you want to hurt someone.” ...more
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