Book Review – The Raven by Mike Nappa

 

 

"The Raven" by Mike Nappa centers on a street performer, The Raven, who steals from a local politician and tries to blackmail him. The Raven is a skilled street performer. He performs tricks while pickpocketing his audience. He thinks it’s harmless until he decides to steal a spare wallet from a local city councilman.

Raven believed he would make a few extra bucks from the wallet. However, he finds no money, only compromising photos of the politician with personal assistants. Realizing he might have hit the jackpot, Raven decides to blackmail him. Unfortunately, he quickly realizes he’s in over his head, and now the Ukrainian Mafia is after him. Raven then hires private investigators Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill to help him untangle the mess.

The book is the second in the series. It can be read as a standalone, but there were nuances and references to Trudi’s and Samuel’s relationship that didn’t make sense without the background. The book was a quick read with a few predictable twists. I enjoyed the characters and would be interested in reading more books by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion** 

 

Book Review – First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

 

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston follows a woman known as Evie Porter, who is sent on a mysterious assignment by her boss, Mr. Smith, but nothing goes according to plan. On the surface, Evie appears to be living the perfect life: she has a loving boyfriend, a charming home with a white picket fence, and a close-knit group of friends. However, Evie Porter isn’t real.

Each time Evie receives a new assignment, she’s given a new identity. Along with an alias, she receives the name and location of her target. From there, it’s her job to learn everything she can about the person, the town, and the people around them. While she’s given basic details, she’s rarely told why the target has been chosen, leaving her to piece together her boss’s motives as she gathers information.

Evie knows very little about Mr. Smith. She doesn’t even know his real name or the full extent of his organization. The only thing she’s certain of is that this latest assignment feels different. Her new target, Ryan Sumner, makes her imagine a life beyond the job, a chance to settle down and start over. But Mr. Smith isn’t willing to let one of his most valuable assets walk away, especially after she made a costly mistake on her previous assignment. As Evie struggles to secure a future for herself, one wrong move could cost her everything.

I thought the book was an interesting read with several twists and surprises. It was easy to get into, and the writing style made it a quick, engaging read. The pacing was fast, with plenty of suspenseful moments that kept me turning the pages. At first, I found the shifts between past and present a bit frustrating, but by the end, everything came together in a satisfying way. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would be open to reading more from this author.

Book Review - All the Right Notes by Dominic Lim

 

 

All the Right Notes by Dominic Lim follows two childhood friends, Quito Cruz and Emmett Aoki, as they cross paths again as adults. Quito is a gifted pianist and composer who performs at a piano bar in New York City. He dreams of writing a Broadway show, but he’s stuck in a creative slump. He believes his lack of inspiration stems from a significant interaction he had with Emmett back in college.

Out of the blue, Quito receives a call from his father, who asks him to organize a charity performance in their hometown to benefit their old music program. His father also suggests inviting Emmett, now a movie star and Hollywood heartthrob, to help draw attention to the event.

Quito isn’t sure how to reach out, since he and Emmett have lost touch. However, when they unexpectedly run into each other, Quito takes the chance to ask and is surprised when Emmett agrees. As they begin preparing for the performance, Quito feels their old connection returning, but he’s unsure if Emmett feels the same way.

I thought the book was an okay read. It was fairly straightforward, without many twists or surprises. One aspect that really bothered me was how the female characters were portrayed. They felt poorly written and often came across as being judged harshly or portrayed in a catty, negative way. It gave the impression that the narrative didn’t treat female characters with much care or depth, especially in comparison to other characters.

I did enjoy the food descriptions, particularly the scenes where the characters were cooking, but that wasn’t enough to elevate the overall experience for me. In the end, I didn’t connect much with the story, and I probably wouldn’t pick up another book by this author.

 

Book Review - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

 

 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is about two magicians who are bound to compete against each other in a mysterious, magical competition. At the center of it all is a circus that appears without warning and is open only at night. It arrives without announcement and vanishes just as suddenly. Unlike any other circus, it is filled with breathtaking and enchanting spectacles.

Behind the scenes of Le Cirque des Rêves lies a fierce competition that has been decades in the making. It is a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been training for this challenge since childhood. However, the rules and even the true purpose of the game are  known only to their instructors.

Celia and Marco are unaware that the competition can only end when one of them is left standing. The circus itself serves as both the stage and the prison for their contest. As the challenge unfolds across time, it becomes a battle of will, skill, and imagination.

As Celia and Marco spend more time together, they begin to fall for one another. But even if their feelings are genuine, it may not matter as they are bound to the competition, and it must reach its conclusion.

I was really excited to start this book. The premise sounded intriguing, and I had heard many positive reviews. The writing is highly imaginative, with vivid descriptions that bring the circus to life. At times, it felt so magical that I was completely transported into its world.

However, I ultimately found the book to be quite boring. While there is a strong focus on the detailed atmosphere of the circus, the story itself felt underdeveloped. There was little clarity about the purpose or structure of the competition, and it seemed like most of the actual plot didn’t fully come together until the end. The book had a lot of potential to be something more, but much of it felt like filler.

I do think the author is a talented storyteller, and I might still be open to reading more of her work in the future or seeing this as a movie.

 

Book Review - The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh

 

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh follows Emma, a woman who hides a dark secret from her husband, Leo, that is threatening to destroy their marriage. Emma loves her life with Leo and their young daughter, Ruby. She would do anything for her family, yet everything she has told Leo is a lie. She might have gotten away with it if not for her husband’s job.

Leo is an obituary writer, while Emma is a well-known marine biologist. When Emma receives a cancer diagnosis, Leo begins to spiral and struggles to cope with the news. He decides to research and write about Emma in case she passes away. However, as he digs into her past, he discovers discrepancies between what she’s told him and the truth. Leo is devastated to learn her name isn’t real and that other details she shared are false. As Emma’s past comes to light, will she be able to prove to Leo that she is the woman he believed her to be?

I was eager to read this book, expecting a suspenseful thriller. However, I found it boring, and it dragged on for quite a while. I disliked how the author prolonged the secret. The story is very predictable for the most part.

The book is divided into parts, and each part feels very different. I’m not sure why it was structured that way. I didn’t connect with any of the characters. I also didn’t understand why most of the characters actively supported and protected Emma when she was blatantly lying to a man she claimed to have loved for years. I might consider reading more books by the author, but I wouldn’t rush to get her next one.