Book Review - Blowback by Valerie Plame

 

Blowback by Valerie Plame is about a CIA ops officer, Vanessa Pierson, who is close to catching a criminal that she has been chasing for years. Vanessa has been tracking Bhoot, a dangerous international nuclear arms dealer.  When one of her assets asked to meet and mentions that he has intel that she might find useful, Vanessa is excited. Her asset has confirmed that Bhoot will be visiting a secret underground weapons facility in Iran in a few days’ time. The information is useful because the CIA was never able to get any information about Bhoot’s whereabouts before. A few minutes before Vanessa was able to get the location to the facility, an ambush occurs that leaves her informant dead on her watch. Vanessa decides that there are now two people that she has on her target list: Bhoot and the sniper responsible for her asset’s death.

Vanessa decides to go rogue when she determines that she isn’t getting enough support from the Agency to protect her assets from Bhoot’s assassin. She ropes in a fellow ops officer who is also her secret lover. If her relationship with him, or that she asked him for help was discovered, it could jeopardize both of their careers. 

The book was a fast paced read but it didn’t keep my interest. It didn’t have any unexpected twists but the ending was left as a cliffhanger.  I felt like the writing was a bit bulky and stilted. It felt like the author was making an outline of things that happened. This occurred and then that happened and this was done next. It felt boring to read something that should be so action packed. At times, it had too many technical details about the spycraft business that went over my head. Then at times, it had too little detail to make the story feel real. The book felt very basic and had all the same elements of other spy novels without bringing anything new to the table. 

I didn’t really connect with the main character as she was portrayed as flawless and perfect. She also seems to bear a lot of resemblance to the author who was an actual CIA agent but it would have been great if there was more character development with our fictional heroine. There was rarely any opportunity for the reader to bond and connect with Vanessa. I am curious to find out who the mastermind is in the novel but I am in no rush to pick up another book by the author.

Book Review - Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado

 

 

Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado is the first book in the trilogy. The compelling international bestseller was recently translated for English readers.  It is also slated to become a major television series in the near future.

Our protagonist Antonia Scott has a brilliant mind. She is the daughter of a prominent British diplomat.  She is able to remember everything she has read and can reconstruct crimes in her mind.  She is able to predict and solve cases before most people can even register the clues in front of them. She isn’t a member of the police force, and most people don’t even know that she exists.  However, she is a member of a secret organization, and is known as the Red Queen. She is well renowned in her field of problem solving and has assisted the police in several high caliber cases without the public knowing. She and her abilities are a well-guarded secret.

Jon Gutierrez is a disgraced detective in Bilbao facing suspension and criminal charges. A mysterious man appears and offers him a clean slate and a chance to save his career if Jon does him a simple favor. Jon needs to convince Antonia to come out of her self-imposed exile after tragedy keeps her isolated. Jon can’t believe his luck and jumps at the chance to save his career. However, Antonia refuses to leave her apartment after witnessing an attack that left her traumatized. Will Jon be able to persuade Antonio to leave her apartment and solve a murder where a body was found without a single drop of blood left in it?

I found Antonia and Jon to be interesting and complex characters. I like that the author gave little snippets of the characters’ history and background as the story progressed. I liked that Jon is a gay police officer and he doesn’t fit into a stereotype. Instead, he and Antonia are well developed characters who struggle with certain situations and try to do their best to solve the case.

I thought the book was a captivating read but I felt that there were some nuances that I may have missed because I am not familiar with Spain’s culture and idioms. For example, it seems that the way the police force is set up, that some branches have more power but, I was confused when Antonia showed them a national police badge and they were not cooperative even though she was a police officer from a higher branch. I am not familiar with all police processes but, what I gathered from watching US based police shows and reading English mystery books, that there are different levels of police but, if a “higher” branch of police comes into play, that the local police give up some control. I do understand that people do have egos with “chips on their shoulders” but, I found it confusing that Antonia and Jon had to almost beg to be included in the investigation. Perhaps, it would have been helpful to include a section/footnote to go into more detail to help readers understand certain nuances.

I didn’t care for the derogatory remarks that were said to Jon because he was gay and/or fat. I thought that repeated use of insults was uncalled for as Jon was a caring and thoughtful detective. Out of all the characters, he was consistent in his behaviors and feelings. I had a hard time connecting with Antonia during certain parts of the book. I felt that her character was a bit inconsistent. She was upset and distant with her father because of something he did in the past but she does the same thing with her son. When she realizes that her son doesn’t like her very much, she gets annoyed by it, instead of working towards a better relationship with him. I hope in the later books that the author addresses these familial relationships in more detail.

The book was filled with action and twists. The book ends with a teaser to the second book to entice readers with something to look forward to. The author included a note in the end explaining his inspiration behind the book. It was a bit sparse but it was a great inclusion. I thought this a great beginning of a thrilling trilogy and I can’t wait to read about Jon’s and Antonia’s next mystery.

 

Book Review - Nine Elms (Kate Marshall, #1) by Robert Bryndza

 

Kate Marshall had a promising career as a police detective until she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial killer. What should have been a great victory quickly descended into a nightmare. Kate watched her career ended in scandal as she was publicly shamed and betrayed over shocking circumstances surrounding the murder case.

Fifteen years later, Kate is still being haunted by the ghosts of her past. She is a professor at a small English university, hoping to move on with her life. However, she was given a chance to face her demons when a copycat killer has taken up the Nine Elms legacy and continuing on the work of his idol.

Kate enlists the help of her research assistant, Tristan Harper, to find and catch the copycat. She believes this might be her chance to redemption. However, Kate doesn't realize she was intended to be the fifth victim and his successor means to finish the job.

I thought the book was an interesting read but, I was a bit torn on the ending. I felt like the story was suspenseful but, the ending seemed a bit of character. I wish there that the characters were developed a bit more and there were moments in the story that audience had to suspense belief. I did like that the author included a bit of foreshadowing at the end and I am hoping it is hinting what the second book would be about. Overall, I thought it was a good read and look forward to reading other books in the series.

Book Review - Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan

 

Jess is a stay-at-home mother of three. Many see her as the perfect mother and a role model. Liz admires the mother Jess has become after being friends for a decade. Then everything Liz knows is shattered when Jess's baby, Betsey, is admitted to the hospital with a head injury. Jess offers vague reasons behind Betsey's accident.

I thought the book was going in a different direction based on the cover of the book. I felt like the book was a bit slow. I didn't think that the book needed to be that long. I am not sure why this was considered a thriller as the only twist was at the very end.

Book Review - Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens

Photo Credit - Amazon

Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash fled her home in the middle of the night with her young daughter. She left her abusive husband, Andrew and is trying to start over with her daughter.  Lindsey has own business and seems to finally have her life under control. Until Andrew was released from prison and he tries to worm his way back into his ex-wife and daughters' lives. Lindsey feels like she is being followed and someone is watching her. Her boyfriend was threatened and her home was broken into. She believes Andrew is behind the taunts. However, he claims he is a changed man.

The novel was fast-paced with many twists. A few were predictable but, still added enough suspense to let readers guessing until the end. Although, I was expecting a bit more from the ending as there were a "few things" I thought would lead to more.   It wasn't a bad read but, I was just expecting something more and different.

**Disclosure - This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus + Giveaway

 

Photo Credit - Amazon

Ellery's mother is from a small town called Echo Ridge. Ellery has never been there but, she heard about it. Her aunt went missing when she was seventeen. Five years later, a homecoming queen was murdered at a local amusement park. Now Ellery and her brother, Ezra has to move to Echo Ridge to live with their maternal grandmother they barely know.

Even the small picture-perfect town is hiding secrets. In a memorial service before school begins, there was an ominous message about homecoming becoming deadly as it was five years ago. Shortly after the message appears, a girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about people keeping secrets. Her mother and grandmother are keeping secrets too. The longer she spends in Echo Ridge, the more she realizes that everyone is hiding something.  She realizes that someone is willing to kill to keep their secret quiet. Will Ellery be able to find out what happened to her aunt years ago?

I usually like reading novels like these because they usually have unexpected twists and delicious secrets. I was saddened when the story was predictable except for a portion of the ending. On a side note, while I did enjoy the novel, I found that there was a lot of characters and the ages were a bit confusing to me. For example, Ellery's mother and the other students are the same age but, the other students have younger siblings who are the same age as Ellery and Ezra. This was hard for me to grasp and conceptualize.  I wish there was a timeline of ages and past events as this would have made some of the story easier to follow along. Overall, a fun read for people who love novels with "small towns with deadly secrets".

 **Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**  

About the Book:

Title: TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET 

Author: Karen McManus

Pub. Date: January 8, 2019

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible,  B&N, iBooks, TBD

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

About Karen: 

As a kid I used to write books when I was supposed to be playing outside, and not much has changed. I'm a marketing and communications professional who also writes Young Adult contemporary and fantasy fiction in Cambridge, MA.

When not writing or working I love to travel, and along with my nine-year old son I've ridden horses in Colombia and bicycles through Paris. A member of SCBWI, I hold a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Which I have never, ever used professionally.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET, US Only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week Five:

1/28/2019- The Clever Reader- Review

1/29/2019- All the Ups and Downs- Review

1/30/2019- Two Points of Interest- Review

1/31/2019- EatingbetweenthelinesINC- Review

Book Review - The French Girl by Lexie Elliott

Photo Credit - Amazon

Six friends from Oxford University decided to spend a week together in a French farmhouse. It was supposed to be the perfect summer together. Severine is the girl next door who joins the friends for the week-long trip. The last night of the holiday, the friends get into a fight that tears their friendships apart. That was also the last night Severine was seen. Almost a decade later, Severine's body is found near the farmhouse. Each of the friends is under suspicions and no one can trust anyone. Who is behind Severine's murder? 

The novel was a fun read but, the plot was a bit predictable.  I didn't find anything to set this book apart from other books of similar genres. I wished the author included more details about Severine and why she is "haunting" one of the characters. Overall, a fun book to read but, a bit predictable.

**Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Photo Credit - Amazon

Aiden Bishop is tasked with preventing Evelyn Hardcastle from being murdered at 11:00 pm. However, if he fails the day will restart and Evelyn will die again. Aiden must race against the clock and name the killer if, he wishes to escape. As he wakes up in a body of a different guest every day, he learns each host has a different personality and motive. Will Aiden be able to find out the killer within the eight days?

The novel had a very interesting premise. I like that the novel had elements of sci-fi, thriller, and mystery all wrapped in one interesting book.  While the book was a good and suspenseful read, I had a hard time keeping track of some of the minor details especially, when the future was altered. However, the book is definitely a fun read and I look forward to reading more books by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Death Logs In by E.J. Simon + Giveaway

It has been almost a year since Micheal Nicholas has taken over his brother's business.  He was finally able to identify his brother's killer but, now some of the most powerful people in the world wants Micheal dead. His only hope for survival may lie in his dead brother's hands.

Alex discovers that his brother, Micheal is in danger. Utilizing his brand new computer upgrade, Alex helps Micheal maneuver the dangers of the gambling business.  Micheal hires the beautiful Sindy Steele to help protect him but, he soon learns she is hiding a dark and deadly secret.

The second novel was a bit more fast-paced than the first novel.  However, there were a few inconsistencies in characters and small details that detracted from the overall story.  I thought it was interesting how  Micheal is slowly becoming Alex. It makes me wonder if Michael knew he wanted to become like Alex which is why he stayed away from his brother. Overall, a good second book to the series.

Book Details:

Book Title: Death Logs In by E.J. Simon
Series: Michael Nicholas Book 2
Category: Adult Fiction, 340 pages
Genre: Thriller & Suspense., Technothriller
Publisher: Endeavour Media (UK)
Release date: Dec 14, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (contains f-words, religious expletives and crude language)

Book Description:

Some of the most powerful people in the world want to kill Michael Nicholas. Only his brother Alex can save him—the problem is that Alex is dead.

It’s been almost a year since Alex Nicholas, a Queens-based underworld boss, was gunned down. After Alex’s brutal murder, Michael inherited not only his brother’s business, but his enemies. Michael is now a key player in a world he once feared. By day, he is the head of a Fortune 500 company. By night, the CEO of Tartarus, one of the world’s largest illegal gambling operations.

Before his death, Alex invested heavily in breakthrough artificial intelligence software so that he could live forever. It worked. In his virtual form, Alex can communicate with Michael and monitor information—and people—in ways the NSA would envy.

It is Alex who discovers Michael’s life is in danger. He detects plots that reach from the darkest corners of Queens to the highest officials in the Vatican—and they all want Michael dead.

Michael is now in a race to save his life, but he is never alone. Alex is there to help him navigate through this maze of life and death. Also protecting Michael from the forces closing in around him is Sindy Steele, a beautiful and lethal bodyguard.

How far is Michael willing to go to save his own life and that of his family? Guided only by a familiar face on a computer screen, will the information Alex discovers allow Michael to go from being the hunted to the hunter?

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author:

E. J. Simon is the author of three commercial fiction thrillers, Death Never Sleeps, Death Logs In and Death Logs Out. He has just completed his fourth manuscript, Death in the Cloud.

He is a member of the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America and the North Carolina Writer’s Network. He holds an M.A. in Corporate & Political Communications from Fairfield University and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. He lives with his family in Cary, North Carolina in the United States. For more information, visit his website: www.ejsimon.com.

Connect with E.J.: Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram

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