nigmatillium

I am so glad I put this book on hold while I read the first one, because the references to the first book would have absolutely not been enough for me. I also specified this in my review to ‘Two Girls Down', I first got my hands on this book, can't remember how it caught my attention, and while I read the first few chapters it became clear to me this was a sequel so I looked it up and, yes, there it was. That being said, I strongly recommend reading the first book beforehand because otherwise you really can't get the whole picture.

I loved Vega and Cap just as much reading ‘The Janes' and I loved the way they advanced, so to say, their relationship. There is absolute trust between them, and I really like how one of them could say the most random, ludicrous thing and the other would have their back no question asked. They make a great team, they did from day one, but as they get to work and know each other more, they're working even better.

However, I did not enjoy ‘The Janes' as much as I did ‘Two Girls Down'. The plot was, again, constructed very well, I didn't encounter a single lucky coincidence here either, but I feel like it took a turn to the mainstream. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it just made me not enjoy part of the book that much. Also, the detectives in San Diego are not nearly as good as the ones in Denville, in my humble opinion. I might have disliked some of the cops in Denville at first, but once they got their hands on a suspect they did their jobs flawlessly, I was impressed while reading. The ones in San Diego were not as solid. And I might have missed Nell a bit. Just a tad.

Back to what I liked, apart from the two main characters and, yes, the plot, it was the first and last chapter of the book, specifically the storytelling. The narrative style Louisa Luna used here has a name, which I don't know right now, but it is a narrative style I like a lot.

I want to know more about Vega and Cap and what other cases they might work on. There were a few things in this novel that made me curious about what comes next for both of them. Meanwhile, I might take a look at what else Louise Luna wrote.

I don't know how I got my hands on the second book of this series. I did not know it was part of a series, but after I read a bit, something kept nagging me to look it up, and sure enough, there it was. It didn't take long for me to get the first book as well and start reading. I was very curious about Vega and Cap's background.

I enjoyed the book very much, I instantly liked Alice Vega, she's a very determined, no bullshit type of person, and she really gets shit done. She's also very good at her job. I can't remember in detail other books in the genre that I read, but I think this is the one book where lucky coincidences just don't happen. There's not even a trace of luck, the plot is very well constructed, all of the characters are capable and there's no unnecessary pettiness or unnecessary drama.

Unfortunately my reading circumstances were all over the place with this book and I might not have given it the attention it deserved. I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about who the culprit was, although I did have a few ideas. I also didn't focus on the mystery plot as much as I did on Vega. She was really great, I liked everything about her, and I want to know more about her. I am also very curious about how things will develop between her and Cap.

Because I started reading the second book first, I know (along with everyone who read the synopsis) that Vega (I keep wanting to write Alice, but I liked so much how everyone apart from Nell called her Vega) and Cap will work yet another case together. I liked their relationship so much. They didn't click instantly, they also didn't dislike each other instantly. They learned how to work together, they had their differences, they talked about issues. In a few words, their relationship developed very naturally. And I loved that.

Since I mentioned Nell, I must say she was great. I can't say I read a lot of teenagers in books, but Nell was one of a kind teenager, and she has such a great relationship with her dad.

When it comes to detective books, this one's definitely in my top three.

Looking at my reading list there's no doubt I like Josh Lanyon. The mystery with a hint (and sometimes a little bit more) of romance is just right for me, so I am ready to lose myself in any of Josh Lanyon's books. I enjoy the mystery so much and Josh Lanyon has a way of keeping the reader engaged and looking for clues while at the same time giving us the perfect amount of romance that doesn't feel forced and doesn't take away from the mystery. What's there not to like?

Unfortunately, even with that great recipe for a book, this time it missed the spot.

I enjoyed the serial killer line of the story, and I loved when things got very complicated. I also liked both Adam and Rob and I think they made a great pair. My interest piqued more when I saw Tucker mentioned, whom I know from 'All's Fair' series. If I remember correctly, Adam has been mentioned in the series too...

After a quick look, Adam had indeed been mentioned in the last novel, 'Fair Chance', of 'All's Fair' series.

First here, so we know Adam and Tucker had already broken up when Adam worked the Conway case.

Even if Tucker had inexplicably, unbelievably decided they were through, he would have called the minute he learned of the shooting. It was just the way he was built. He had called his ex, Adam, when Adam had come under administrative fire for botching a kidnapping case. He would certainly call Elliot to make sure he was okay.

And second here, but this part is more relevant to 'All's Fair' than 'Winter Kill'.

He was not the only one to recognize this fact. He’d had a message on his answering machine from Adam, Tucker’s ex in Oregon, offering whatever help and support Elliot needed. Adam had not offered condolences, but how long before the sympathy calls started?

I tried to figure out the timeline here, but I'm not sure. I think they are close, 'Fair Chance' is set somewhere in September, so my guess is that 'All's Fair' series ended before 'Winter Kill' started. Or they overlapped for a bit.

Enough of a tangent, let's get back to our story.

While the book was very entertaining I have questions about the murderers. There's a lot to be said about their motivation, their modus operandi, the way they selected their victims. I am not a fan of how they've been dealt with by the author. It was too convenient, I would have liked some questioning at least. Everything leading up to the conclusion was great, but the conclusion was too abrupt.

About Adam and Rob, I think them two is the part I'm most okay with. They are both adults, they talked things through, and they reached a conclusion. My issue comes with the Epilogue. It really didn't feel like an Epilogue to me, but more like another chapter. In an Epilogue I would have expected to see something from, I don't know, a few weeks or months after the conclusion of the book. Luckily, Josh Lanyon spoils us with Codas so I sort of got the kind of Epilogue I wanted. That being said, I still would have liked a more complete conclusion.

Ugh, where do I start? The book started off pretty well, got me interested. It seemed to be a fun read and I did enjoy most of it, until the last three chapters when I almost seriously thought about dropping it. But, well, only three chapters to go so I went ahead.

We have an unlikely pair here, Hunter, a military man, and Randall, an astrophysicist. Right from the start Hunter rubbed me the wrong way. I couldn't say why because he hits a lot of the things I like in a character, but he felt kind of... slimy. As I advanced I started liking him more, though, and there was no off feeling about him, so that's good. Randall was fine, I thought he was fun at first, but as I read, I got to not like him very much. He was this pretty great guy until he wasn't. I have no idea what happened there, but things shifted a little to the left and all of a sudden Randall was acting dumb. No, he was plain stupid, and Hunter owed him an apology for some mysterious reason. On top of that, what started like an interesting fresh book turned into a heap of clichés one on top of the other. Going through the last few chapters was a struggle, it all went downhill really hard after the 'I don't recognise you anymore' line.

The book also felt a little rushed and there was no actual plot development or character development or any kind of development. The whole thing happens over the span of a long weekend (who even throws a wedding weekend? Just how loaded are these people?) so the relationship didn't even begin to get deeper, yet the main characters went through all kinds of emotions (supposedly, because none of those really reached me). It kind of reminded me of those short parody films that go through a whole relationship, from first date to break-up. Not sure that was an emotion the authors wanted to evoke.

So yeah, what started promising turned into a cringe fest for me. And don't get me started on how cheesy it got or about all the stereotypes. Or about whatever the side characters were doing, or not doing.

I really tried, this is the fifth book I read from Annabeth Albert and out of those five I really only enjoyed two. More like one and a half. Needless to say I'm probably going to skip any other books from this author.

It's decided, I like Ada Maria Soto very much. This is only the second (well, third) book I read from this author, but between 'His Quiet Agent' and this, I made up my mind. I'm already wondering which of her other books should I pick up next. But until then, let's talk about 'Whistle Blowing'.

As usual I did not read the synopsis before reading the book, but I skipped the letter at the start of the book as well. I read it last and for once I was pleasantly surprised I wouldn't have gotten any kinds of spoilers and my expectations wouldn't have run wild if I would have read it first (I think it was a book by Lisa Henry where I mentioned I would have had certain expectation if I would have read the letter beforehand).

It's been a while since I was this glued to a book, I pretty much started reading and didn't let it out of my hands until I was done. Granted, it is a rather short book at around 170 pages, but still.

Right, about the book. 'Whistle Blowing' was intense from start to finish. I did not see anything of what followed coming. When Sebastian entered the bathroom I was full on expecting him to find Daren having sex with some stranger, not find him in a pool of his own blood on the bathroom floor. And I was really worried until Sebastian revealed he was an ex-Navy medic.

I liked both Sebastian and Daren. Sebastian because he did everything right, he was responsible and attentive and he had a heart bigger than the moon. And I liked Daren because despite being a spoiled rich kid, he tried to do the right thing, he was in no way stupid or dumb, and he knew what had to be done, never complaining about anything.

What I also liked a lot about this story was that most of it happened in one place, which is Sebastian's house. I don't know what's about limited spaces that I like so much. It sure is a challenge to make the story entertaining, if anything.

I also liked the side characters, especially Rachael. She was one tough lady and I fear for anyone who dares cross her—I'm joking, whoever does it deserves whatever is coming.

All in all, I enjoyed the story a lot. I would have liked if it would have been a bit longer or if I would have at least gotten an Epilogue—I really would have liked an Epilogue—but I really can't complain, I loved it.

When I started reading this book I thought I would love it, but the more I read the more I didn't feel as strongly about it. It was still good, but as I advanced on the story, it lost its spark.

First, things that I really liked.

The first few chapters were so funny and I liked Jon. The main characters are over 40, quite a rare thing to read, and I loved it. I also loved how they weren't what you think of when you think of a 40 year old characters, they weren't grey and grumpy and super grown-up. They were regular people, they were capable of feeling things the same a teenager could. And speaking of, Jon and Rick's first 'date' was so cute, but also hot. I had a lot of fun reading that part, L.A. Witt managed to put on paper exactly what goes on on a first date: the emotions, the uncertainty, the flow of the conversation. I haven't been on a first date since I don't know when, but what went on in there is exactly it.

I liked how their relationship progressed. They clicked instantly and the way it was described felt so natural. They were still two adults and they acted accordingly which, again, I liked very much. Well, overall I liked a lot reading about actual adults acting like adults.

I also liked Jon's workplace vibe, that is an environment I would like working in. Well, without the crazy, unrealistic demands. Also, I liked how you could actually see how open and casual the team were with each other, but at the same time didn't neglect their job. While making fun of each other their projects were being worked on with great attention. And I liked that they were genuinely friends.

Before I go on with the things I didn't like, I have to mention one that's in-between. I liked how there was a distinction between the Dom persona and the regular person, actual employee. It was a treat because I don't think I ever read a book where the Dom isn't always just a bit Dom, no matter the setting, but there were instances where I wished the Dom persona will get out. Yes, it did happen a few times, but it was quite tame. Here I'm leaning more towards the liked area than not liked because I really did enjoy this bedroom versus out in the open persona.

Second, things I didn't really like.

The book kept the same tone from start to finish, but also took a dive. The tone is not a bad thing, but I needed a few more ups and downs. I don't know how to explain this so I hope what I'm going to say next will shed some light. And that's about the repetitions. There were a few ideas, idioms, and words that were repeated over and over again. They made sense, but you can use one of those so many times before they lose their value. After using one of them five times, the sixth time you can't get the same impact and that's a shame because they had great potential. Some were used too soon, others weren't used at the right time.

Reading the first few chapters there was something that kind of pulled me out of story. I was expecting there to be some cracking bones and sore muscles given that the characters were over 40, but when it finally happened, bones were cracking and joints hurt what felt like every paragraph. I was expecting that mention, it wouldn't have been right without it, but when it finally happened I felt attacked.

The biggest thing that confused me and made me stop reading so I could do some looking up, was the mention of wax play. I was excited for them to try that out, but when it actually happened it was made to sound like it's very painful. Now, I don't have any experience with wax play hence why I had to look it up, but the whole deal didn't sit well with me. I did accidentally pour wax from a candle on my hand before and it wasn't as painful as the book made it sound. To that we add the fact that the wax I accidentally poured on myself was regular candle wax which has a higher melting point than the one used in BDSM play, so the sensation of burn/pain is nowhere near regular wax. From what I could find, most of the articles didn't even mention the word 'pain' and the one I did find mentioning it said that there's only light to no pain depending on the wax you are using. So what was that all about? Like I said, I was excited about that scene, and yes, there is risk of injury is you don't use the right kind of wax (meaning regular candle wax), but the big deal about the pain ruined it for me.

I'm at a loss what to rate this book. The BDSM part of it was definitely on the lighter side and while I would have liked things to be more intense, both characters did say they enjoy vanilla. Throughout the book it was obvious the D/s dynamic was not actually a life style for them, but a way to spice things up, while at the same time Jon's supposed experience didn't quite come through. Slightly disappointing, but I was warned about the vanilla so I can't really complain. That being said, I think a two stars rating is fit for the overall feeling I got from the story.

Narrated by Abigail Reno

This review is all spoilers, I'm marking the major ones.

I was so behind Inktober that when I found a Friday off, I decided I'd work on catching up. But I didn't want to do that in complete silence, so, since I discovered that drawing goes very well with listening to books, I went ahead and looked for something to read while drawing and I found this book. The audiobook is about 8½h long and I didn't think I'd finish it in a day, but I somehow managed to do it.

Now. I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed Abigail Reno's narration, she did a very good job, each character has their distinct voice, the pacing is great, and that might be the only reason why I didn't drop this book. The plot was catchy enough, but from the get go I had a few questions. I am curious to know why Adele is the way she is. How did Blake Pierce construct her, why make her have triple citizenship? While I think that's a great idea, I don't feel like it's been dealt with as best as it could have. Her status stood up to me instantly and not in a good way.

Then let's talk a bit about John, Adele's DGSI partner. This French guy named John. John Renee with a French accent. I might have dropped the book at his third 'American princess' if I would have read it physically. I might have chuck it straight into the bin. I don't know if the plot would have been enough to keep me interested. He was infuriating, rude, and, to quote Abigail, a pig, only that unlike Abigail I mean it.

There was also this other character, already forgot her name, some tall lady who looked smart. She had a clever look. What is that all about? Literally, all I know about the lady is she had a clever look and it felt so odd having that bit repeated over and over again. I can't figure out why that had to be repeated, what was the purpose. What I do know is that whatever Blake Pierce wanted to do there, it didn't work.

And there was another character, forgot his name too (wow, I just finished this and I can't remember most of the characters' names), the second victim in the book, the one who escaped the murderer. That bit was probably the most exciting part of the book. The way the attack was described, the unknown if he's going to be rescued or not and then the relief when he actually got away, I liked that part a lot. Only to not have that one character mentioned for the rest of the book. He was taken to the hospital and that was it. No interrogation, no follow-up, no mention on how he's doing.

The plot overall was fine. I mean, it was not the best, Adele is obviously one of a kind heroine, she just figures things out and is the perfect candidate for a out of the hat new job that benefits multiple agencies (yes, she's that valuable), she's outstanding. She is likeable, she seems like a good agent (or detective? I don't know what her job description says, probably agent), but in reality she is really good at guessing. And somehow the first thing she hears about this mysterious murderer is true and no other leads are needed (not that anyone offered).

The murder plot was not as sharp (ha!) as the author intended, in my humble opinion, it is just a series of lucky events. Adele had luck, not skill. Her only—not quality, but I can't think of a better word—is that she has triple citizenship. That's all. Without that, the character Adele Sharp, the agent Adele Sharp, would not exist.

The book left some question marks for the next instalments, some unsolved conflicts and some mysteries, but it did not make me curious about what's next for Adele. Or to know more about her past. I could skip all of the other books just so I won't have to deal with Renee again, the amount of eye rolling I did cannot be okay for me.

The narration did a very good job at keeping me interested and I tend to rate the book higher than I normally would (again, I would have probably dropped it if I would have had the book in my hands) only thanks to the excellent job Abigail Reno did. I feel like her narration shouldn't be overlooked. I'm in a pickle now.

Let's settle for this, the stars on this review are for the book (with something extra for the writing style because I liked it), but Abigail Reno gets the full five stars.

This short story, an epilogue to The Will Darling Adventures, took me by surprise in two ways. First because I didn't expect any kind of sequel, and second because it is fully from Kim's point of view.

Needless to say I loved reading it, Will and Kim are just so great, I am delighted to read more, everything, about them, and while I was fine with how the series ended, I enjoyed getting a glimpse of what's next for the duo.

I'm so glad to see Kim is so charmed by Will, as it should be, and I almost melted at his affections. I actually kind of really did melt when the word 'adore' was used instead of 'love'. I could almost feel everything Kim was feeling. Great epilogue to a great story.

I usually enjoy Kawabata, but this book was a miss for me. The writing was a bit disappointing, I didn't feel any connection to any of the characters and the whole revenge plot didn't really work out for me.

This, however, didn't put me off on Kawabata, I intend to try some other of his works and hopefully I'll find something that resonates with me.

I've been wanting to read a piece of Korean literature since a really long time ago, but for some reason I never got around to it until now. I didn't know what to pick and so I didn't pick any book, but my curiosity started growing so I managed to get a title and I started reading.

Right from the start, this book felt different than anything I've read until now. To me it felt very calm, very slow and uneventful although a lot of things happened. Because of that it took me a long time to read it and only thinking about another book that recently came out and that I really want to read made me pick up pace. By that I don't want to say this book is not good, I did actually enjoy it, I liked going on this journey with 0, I was curious about him from the start and wanted to know everything that this book was going to reveal to me. And it did reveal quite a lot, I slowly learned everything about 0, about his family, and about the various people he met during his travels.

I liked the format of the book, it's unusual and I think that gives the story more personality, it makes it feel more like 0's story.

In the last few pages all kinds of sensations rushed in. Surprise, sadness, realisation, joy, relief, and hope. I could have probably picked up on at least some of them while reading, but I read this book at a very leisurely pace. Now I feel like maybe I should have read it with more enthusiasm, but between the book not being what I usually enjoy at this time and feeling very slow, I couldn't. It makes me wonder, after looking at other reviews, if not this was the author's intention all along, to somehow make this book blend in our day to day, to make it feel like nothing happens, just as in our everyday; we don't point out every single thing that happens to us.

As a conclusion, I enjoyed No One Writes Back, it's a reflective book that made me want to write letters. I enjoyed 0's journey, I got to really like him and also be mad at the ones who I felt wronged him.

This novel was delightful! I'm not sure where to start on the things I liked about it, but I will say this: I finally found a collab novel where the two authors aren't clashing in style and don't read like bad RPG. I have no idea which part of this was Lisa Henry (who is becoming one of my favourite authors) and which was Sarah Honey (who's upcoming works I am very interested in after reading this).

Red Heir (love the cover, by the way) is a fantasy M/M novel and has all of that and even more. You might expect a fantasy like language (I know I did), but it is very contemporary and I found that to be hilarious.

The novel is filled with sexual innuendos and I liked each and every one of them, even Loth's jokes. I think he was supposed to be annoying, by all means he should have been annoying, but he was actually funny. Loth is not what I would describe as a nice person, he's a pickpocket and doesn't hesitate to claim being someone else when it benefits him. He learns a few things along the way, but I liked him from the start anyway.

Quinn on the other hand was a sweetheart and I loved him and his hair. He is courageous and determined and adorable. He is also open to try all kinds of new things and I was so very happy about that.

Ada, Calarian, and Dave were also great, I liked their personalities a lot and they sure made the whole adventure more fun. I really couldn't have hoped for a better team to save a prince. Or two. Oh, and I cannot forget about Pie, I would want nothing but cuddle Pie. Did I leave anyone out? No, I don't think so.

Looking at the plot of the novel, this is definitely an adventure story, our heroes are on a mission, they encounter enemies, they sometimes get swamped on side quests, and form meaningful friendships. Or not, that may be a bit of a stretch there. There is not a dull moment in the novel, Red Heir takes you on a journey and along the way a beautiful romance starts blooming.

I read 'Shogun' by the same author years ago, back when I was in high school, and I liked the book so much I used one of the names in the book to create an online nickname (not this one) that I used on forums back when they were popular.

Knowing I liked the first book very much I thought I'd start reading the whole series, chronologically, so here I am having read 'Tai-Pan'. At first I felt a bit overwhelmed trying to figure out what was going on and who everyone was, what their relationships were, but I soon found myself completely swept in. There is sooo much intrigue, I don't know how they did it. I would have been a constant ball of anxiety trying to figure out what everyone was planning, what secrets everyone was trying to hide, and not give myself away to the wrong person. But, oh boy, did I love it. As soon as the first puzzle surfaced I was delighted.

The plot is very clever. There are things that happened in the book that I didn't think would have any relevance later, but that I appreciated as they shaped the characters nicely. The care and thought that went into each character is wonderful. The one type of character I probably dislike the most in a book is the one that's just there, the character that has no purpose other than filling the pages, no relevance to the plot, so I am very glad to say that there is none of that nonsense in this book.

Speaking of characters, the one I liked the most is May-May. I liked her fantastical. She was so clever, I liked the way she talked, the way she managed things, the way she could basically do whatever she wanted to. If I were to name another character I liked, I'm not sure I could. Everyone is very well characterised and very complex, but none stood out to me as much. At first I though I would like Mary Sinclair the most, she really had a spark, but she faded really fast, May-May stole the show. For me May-May was the Supreme Lady from start to finish.

The conflict between Struan, the Tai-Pan, and Brock was pretty intense. I enjoyed very much watching (well, reading) them hate each other, but at the same time keeping civil. I tend to say that this conflict lasted for way longer than it should have, but hey, what would I have read then? Plus, it makes sense why they acted the way they did thanks to the way the characters are constructed and the way the plot flows.

And there are so many other plots going on at the same time. There's May-May and her background, there's Gordon Chen and his dealings, there's Mary Sinclair and Horatio Sinclair with their secrets, there's Shevaun Tillman, there's Culum, and on top of all these there's the trade. I didn't even mention everyone or all of the important players (also the order is completely irrelevant). There is a lot going on, you can't get bored reading this book and it's so fun discovering everything and piecing things together.

There's also the themes: legacy, one's own fate, love, cultural differences, honour, and others I can't think of right now. Some of the themes were also found in 'Shogun', but both 'Shogun' and 'Tai-Pan' dealt with them in their own way. Despite the similarities, the books are so very different.

One thing I didn't think will happen while reading 'Tai-Pan' was for me to get emotional. The height of my emotion occurred at the very end of the book, on the last few lines. I felt some sort of vindication when I reached the last lines. My plan is to read the series chronologically and I almost want to skip the following books and read 'Noble House' next. I won't, though.

Well, what else can I say? Brilliant book.

I felt like reading an anxiety ridden book so I turned to Barbara Elsborg, knowing I'd get worried and sad and hurt, but also weeping with joy and hope. Only that I started reading and, yes, I felt sorry for the main characters, but it wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I maybe got used to it or maybe this book was calmer. Then it happened. Things went bad and I started to worry more and more about what's coming, I wanted to hurt some of the characters really bad and was even more anxious about the sequel. It also didn't help that I had to put the book down at some point and be productive, giving me enough time to wonder and worry about what's next.

As usual, I almost instantly felt for the characters, both Malachi and Harper went through some horrid stuff and I'm glad I was spared some of the details, it would have only brought up sadness and rage in me.

I liked getting to know these two, Malachi's sense of observation, Harper's insecurities and paranoia (who can blame him?), Malachi's unending blabber, Harper's wishes and aspiration, his motivations, Malachi's secrets and his big heart, Harper's readjusting to this life thing, and so much more. But most of all I liked them together and I am so happy I got plenty of that. Having them happy and safe was more than I could have asked for.

The plot was so very complex and I love how Barbara Elsborg manages to divert the reader's attention just enough to not figure out what's going on too fast (or at all), but also create storylines and situations that make a lot of sense. She thinks about everything and I am a huge fan of that.

Needless to say I disliked Jessop (not even sure if I wrote the name right, but it doesn't matter, the guy is scum) and Brian, Sarrah was okay, poor thing, and as for Brady, he can rot in a jail, ideally, and Conrad... I hope the sequel has him as one of the main characters. I disliked him a lot in the beginning, but as the story progressed and it was revealed why he acted the way he did, I warmed up to him. Just a little. He's still a prick, and I kind of want to see him suffer, but I also want him to find his happiness. Ideally I would get to see Malachi and Harper in the sequel too, but I really don't want it to be about them unless it's them going on a long vacation where they sip mimosas and have filthy sex on the beach.

Off I go to read the sequel.

Okay, so, when I said I want to see Conrad suffer, this is not quite what I was thinking. He paid his dues in full and then some.

Starting to read this book, I thought maybe I was wrong and it had nothing to do with Conrad. How could he even fit with Archer's storyline? But I was game either way. Then Conrad showed up and if the first chapter had my attention, now I was fully in.

The second book of Fall or Break took such a wild turn, it was completely different from the first one, much more intense and more serious, although I did recognise some of Malachi's humour in Conrad, hardly surprising since they spent seven years together.

By the end of Falling I had already started to warm up to Conrad, but here I really liked him. He is this hotshot barrister, he's cold and keeps his walls up, but can also be vulnerable and capable of feeling. I wonder how his and Archer's first, uh, interaction would have gone if Conrad would have been uninjured (although their methods are clearly different—a detail I liked).

I found the plot to be a little too over the top at times, but it worked well. There were a lot of coincidences and insane situations, but Barbara Elsborg managed again to make everything make sense. She's magic.

I liked Archer very much too. I probably shouldn't, but he was so good for Conrad, I can't imagine a better pair for him. They are so similar and while I maybe would have been inclined to believe their strong personalities will clash violently with no chance of recovery, they somehow managed to complete each other. They were surprising.

I probably should take a star off for all of the coincidences, but I enjoyed the book just as much as I did Falling and, to make up for that star, I was more touched by Breaking. All in all, if you are not expecting something super realistic, the book is great.

I have a bit of mixed feelings about this book. The plot was interesting, entertaining, and it kept me engaged. It was a fun read and I really liked the thriller part of it. The characters were... complex.

The plot, although predictable, was interesting and I did like the turn it took. It was fast paced and something was constantly happening so I didn't get bored; I was actually taken with the book, and it was a fun read. I do wonder if the author got the inspiration to writing the fighting scenes from TV because it did feel like someone describing what they were seeing. But the weirdest part is that they felt both tedious to read and dynamic.

I didn't feel strongly for any of the characters, but I liked the ATF team overall. I do have a few questions about how things work, it didn't all feel plausible to me and I'm confused about some aspects, I think they had more luck than actual investigation skills, but yes, the team members were pretty cool.

Ángel and Charles were both awful at this relationship thing, the only thing they got going for them was the sex and that was about it (speaking of, is it just me or was Ángel constantly horny? Like to the point where therapy might be needed. He took unnecessary risks just to get laid, his response to anything involving Charles was sex, solving conflict meant more sex etc). I'm afraid that except sexual attraction there wasn't much for them. Maybe there are some common points, but they were so bad at communicating that it doesn't even make a difference. From what I gathered, neither of them actually tried to talk to the other previously to their breakup, they were happy to assume the worst and act according to their assumptions.

Before everything took a turn to really bad, the last time they saw each other, they both made serious, stupid mistakes (I am being kind calling them 'mistakes') and I really can't say that one was better than the other. I can see their reasoning and I am glad about that because otherwise I would despise them, but I can't see how the relationship is going to work. I expect it to be more than bumpy and they both have to work really, really hard on it, but I'm really not convinced they are going to be able to make it work.

To sum it up, definitely not the best, but also not the worst. This is my first Cordelia Kingsbridge book and I am open to the idea of reading more books from the same author, especially since a good part of the reviewers praise her other books. Maybe I'll find a gem somewhere in there, and I do have to say that I liked the writing, so there's that.

I must say, Sophie and Neil are very good at this relationship thing. They went through some stuff, they fight like every couple does, but they always find their way back to each other. It is both heart-warming and fun to see them navigating through all of it, because it surely can't be easy. Luckily, they are perfect for each other.

By now I am quite used to Abigail Barnette's writing so it came as a shock to me how I could expect something to happen and then still be surprised even when I am right. There are some events you simply expect at some point, there's no way around it, so I appreciate Abigail Barnette even more knowing she manages to capture my attention so much that I am completely captivated by what's happening, experiencing it at the same time Sophie does.

And oh, Sophie. I feel like some of the readers misunderstand her and judge her harsher than necessary. I get it, in a way, but that doesn't make me feel okay about it. It's simply sad. She is experiencing things she could only dream of before and that is a shock to her. She tries to prove herself and yes, sometimes she doesn't do that in the best ways, but she is reacting the only way she knows how to. What I appreciate about her is the ability to admit when she's wrong and her actively trying to make things right, not afraid to make the first and sometimes the second step.

Neil is not far behind and I am proud of him, of how far he came. I can only imagine how scary and unreal it all must be for him. He's still struggling with the remnants of his illness at the same time he's facing changes in his life, both adjusting to his life with Sophie (as much as he wants it, that's still a big change) and his daughter sharing her life with Michael. I'm afraid the challenges are not over for Neil and I keep my fingers crossed.

I haven't mentioned Holli in my previous reviews, but I feel like I just have to say something about her now since she played such a big role in the third part of the series. She is a great friend, she is, but I don't feel strongly about her as I do about Emma or even Deja. I am glad Sophie has her and can talk about anything to her, and she is the type of person I would be friends with too, but there's something about her that makes me keep some distance. I can't really put my finger on it, I hope I'll get some enlightenment later in the series. If not, oh well.

I'm off reading what happened between Neil and Emir when they met in London and then I'm looking forward to the next part of the series. So far this series was a delight and I have my hopes up for the next books as well, despite the titles that make me feel a little anxious.

I'm not sure about the rating on this one, I am tempted to go lower, but thinking about the series as a whole, I can't help but keep the rating in the 4-5 stars range. But before I go into it let me just ask this: who edited this book (The Baby too)? I hope they didn't edit The Boyfriend as well because I've been annoyed enough. Every single adverb of time was secluded between commas and it made reading some sentences so freaking annoying. There is such a thing as too many commas!

Now that that's out of the way, I read The Sister way slower than the other books. Part because I started work again, part because I didn't enjoy it as much. I am glad that my worst fears about what 'sister' might mean wasn't the case and I'm so happy that Emir is now El-Mudad, but I just couldn't get so much into it.

Everyone was great as always, I'm happy that Sophie finally came to terms with some things and that she is closer to accept what her life, and herself, had changed. I'm glad Neil is as supportive as always and I'm sure happy El-Mudad is now playing a bigger role in their lives. I've been crazy about him since that first encounter in France.

What this book lacked, from my point of view, was the sex. There were plenty of scenes and at the same time not enough, if that makes any sense. There wasn't as much passion and I almost dreaded reading them. In a way that is understandable, with everything that's going on, there are new rules and they have a way to go until things fully fall in place.

I wasn't crazy about the sisters. Well, Molly was pretty cool, Susan was meh, and we didn't get to see Renee, so as far as that goes, they were okay. I guess. I think I share Neil's feelings on the matter more than Sophie's. And speaking of Sophie, her diabetes was a shock, didn't see it coming, but I was also kinda relieved she couldn't donate her kidney. I know that would have been the right thing to do, and I praise her for really wanting to go through with it, but I can't shake off the 'wouldn't have contacted you otherwise' part. It seems a bit cruel and opportunistic to me.

Overall the sixth part of the series was okay, not the most exciting, but definitely not to be skipped.

The first thing I did after reading this novel was look up Polunin's performance to Take Me To Church and it was beautiful.

At first I was confused about what was happening in the novel, but I soon started to understand. I am not expecting smooth sailing with Barbara Elsborg's novels, I know I'm going to get angst and pain and terrible, but oh my! I hurt for Caleb. Every single person around him was a knob. Awful people, all of them, and he deserved so, so much better, a whole world worth of better. It goes without saying I disliked Mike and I was not sorry for what he had coming at him, but I also disliked Victor and Jamie. They were at no point Caleb's friends and that's a sin.

March on the other hand had it better in the friends department, with the guys from RNLI—which is a very real and amazing service—and with Andy for whom I was very grateful for being an actual good friend. I wanted to hug him.

Caleb hides his past, there are things he doesn't talk about (and here enter the warnings in the synopsis), but something about March makes him want to open up and tell his story for the first time. Although there were some hiccups on the way, March was pretty great, he was patient and considerate and wholeheartedly there for Caleb. Offering his support, a hug, or just simply being there when Caleb needed him. I was glad to discover he was a fast learner and very honest with himself. That honesty saved them both a lot of heartache (like any more would have been necessary).

Caleb and March embarked on a journey with each other. They had to deal with their past, with the things they didn't want to talk about, or that pushed them into a closet, and also learn how be with each other, how this whole relationship thing works and what they wanted from each other. Well, one of these things was the really easy one, the others needed a bit of work. In the end they both did amazing progress and I am so happy about that.

Now, about those warnings. If I could describe Barbara Elsborg's novels by only one word, that would be dark. If you are easily triggered or if you just don't like the main characters suffering, I do not recommend her novels, but if you are okay with that, go for it. As dark as they are, Barbara Elsborg manages to also bring out some light, the purpose is not to torture everyone, but to show their journey, to give hope, to write characters who strive despite all odds. I think this is why I like her novels so much.

After reading this novel I feel educated, assuming everything is correct. I don't know much about military stuff, so I couldn't tell, but it does make a lot of sense to me.

I enjoyed this novel quite a lot and Garrett Leigh is closer and closer to becoming one my favourite authors.
I liked all of the characters and felt sad when some of them departed. I liked the relationships built between all of them, and the absolute trust they had in each other. The trust was not unexpected, that's a given, but it was still nice to read about it.

Then there's Connor and Nat's relationship which develops at a steady pace since they lay eyes on each other. There was interest almost instantly and I found it all to be believable. They were helped a bit by the circumstances, but I think the result would have been pretty much the same even if they would have met in a park somewhere.

I'm not convinced they were actually in love with each other. There is plenty of lust and definitely falling in love, but I don't think they were there just yet. I'm not upset about it either way, it's just how it felt to me, they need a bit more time, but they'll certainly get there.

I won't spend too much time analysing it because bottom line is that I enjoyed it a lot, I liked the glimpse into military life and I definitely liked Connor and Nat.

I cannot stress enough how much I enjoy reading about navy guys. There's something about them so appealing to me. How they can be so tough and so sweet at the same time, how adorable they are when they leave their guard down, how much they trust another person, both in the field and in private. I just love this hard exterior paired with a soft interior, it makes me instantly love the characters. And there's no exception here.

I felt for Zack. Poor guy was cornered into a closet by the people who should have cared for him, and that gave way to a lot of second guessing, sense of failure and internal struggle. Annabeth Albert did a very good job at portraying all this, everything that was going on with Zack, and it really made me feel anxious and sad for him.

Pike is such an easy going guy. He shows to the world his funny side, the part that can joke about anything, but on the inside he struggles too. With this adulting thing, with his hopes and dreams, and with his feelings. I loved how different he was with his friends, with Zack, and at work.

Both main characters are very relatable, and I liked seeing them working things through, bonding and then coming closer to what was really going on between them.

Cobb made me nervous every time he was on the page. I really didn't like the guy (doubt anyone would) and I don't even want to know what his problem is, I just want him to stay far away from these two precious men. Or anyone else, really. I was a bit sad about Harper, but it might not all be lost with him so there's that.

And, of course, I was glad Zack had someone like his best friend, and his CO around. Sometimes things are not as bleak as they seem.

I know the next books in the series feature different couples, and somewhere in there I would like to find out who was the other person who reported Cobb. At first I thought it might have been Harper, but after he talked to Zack in the pub, I don't think so. Whoever that was, I really want him to have a good outcome, just by having to be in the presence of that a-hole, he deserves someone to hold him tight and tell him everything's going to be alright.

Off Base was a great start to the series, I just loved everything about it. Zack's character growth, Pike's nudging, and the way Annabeth Albert dealt with (tw) homophobia and created this beautiful couple.

Of course I didn't read the synopsis before reading the book (I do that quite often), I just saw the collection and thought why not reading the books during the holiday's month, so when the story took a murder-mystery turn I was surprised and delighted. I like mystery books a lot, and having that paired with a blooming love story... What else could one want?

So far so good, I liked the main characters, they were pretty great, compatible, definitely on the same wavelength and that was all good. Where I feel the story lacked is regarding the angel. In the first two books (Christmas Angel by Eli Easton and Summerfield's Angel by Kim Fielding) the angel was quite a presence and even here I was expecting at some point for the beautiful winged lady to at least utter a few words, but there was nothing apart from some smiles and a frown. It didn't feel quite as magical. However, I did like the mention of how Christopher came in the possession of the wooden figure, that was a nice touch.

While the romance bit of the story flew quite nicely with instant attraction developing into feelings of affection, the mystery was not as thrilling as I would have liked it to be. It was on point, though, so I declare myself mildly satisfied. I kind of hope the deputy got some sort of reprimand at least for incompetence. There was no mention of police investigating around the theatre, the hotel or anywhere else. Overall, the third instalment of the series was pretty good, nice quick read, just fit to indulge on a December evening.

5 stars! Shocking if you are reading some of the top reviews on various sites. I'll go ahead and say that part of it might be because I got my hands on a well edited copy, better than the previous two. Although there have been some slips—a few errors and some misplaced commas—there was nothing to make me roll my eyes every few pages.

There are definitely some things that could be addressed in another sequel, but at the same time nothing was left to wonder about. In a way.

It's clear where Sophie, Neil and El-Mudad's relationship stands. They made a decision, kind of made it official, all the important people in their lives know about it and accepts it to some degree. I am delighted that their relationship is finally out there, that they are happy and that El-Mudad is able to share this with Sophie and Neil. I already liked El-Mudad a lot ever since they first met in Paris, and I have to say it was also great to see him in a new light, get to know him more, out of the bedroom so to say.

Laurence is an a-hole, I didn't like him and I am a little curious about the reasons why his relationship with Valerie would break. He was so awful, passive aggressive and outright threatening at some point. There's really nothing to like about him. The threats weren't dealt with in this novel, that's why I think there is a chance of a sequel, but Neil said he and Valerie discussed Laurence, Valerie is accepting and can be trusted and Neil is pretty much ready for whatever might come their way. That's honestly enough for me right now.

'The Boyfriend' was more of an everyday life type of situation. It mostly focused on Sophie, Neil and El-Mudad's relationship and I wouldn't have expected anything else. Reading all the other books and looking at the title, this was not surprising at all.

Bottom line is I enjoyed 'The Boyfriend', it was nice and for now I am glad I can go back to my preferred genre, but if there is going to be a sequel to this I would most likely want to read it.

While I enjoyed the first book of the series a lot, and I was ready to dive right into the next one, I was not feeling this one. I noticed some pattern right from the start, and that pulled me out of the story immediately.

I would have probably enjoyed the sequel more if it would have been (way) shorter. There's just so much moping I can take, and the denial got old really fast. I was tired, exhausted even, of the main characters telling themselves 'this is not what it seems'. Just get a grip already! I understood where Apollo was coming from, although in the end it all felt a bit exaggerated. He came to the conclusion that he really does want Dylan around after all a bit too fast in relation to the huge denial he was previously in, I didn't feel it like a resolve or a realisation on his part, but more like 'okay, the word count was reached, let's wrap this up' and that's just not fun. Also, I didn't really get Dylan's thought process. He was irresponsible, he was stubborn and grabbed something he knew he could not have. I do appreciate him knowing he was the only one to blame for getting hurt. I would also like to know who's idea was it for Dylan to help Apollo out with the kids. How did that conversation start and who brought it up?

And speaking of, I'm not big on kids, that was the first thing that made me think I would not like the novel that much and while, yes, that it still part of why I didn't enjoy it, there were things I liked less. But since there were kids here, two of them, twins, I was expecting some hilarious scenes. Kids are very observant, they see things you have no idea they are seeing, and yet, the twins were blissfully unaware of what was going on. I was actually hoping for one of the girls spilling it to Dustin that 'baba and Dylan kiss at night on the couch when they watch movies'. I'm not too mad about it because, although a stretch, Apollo doing it himself by mistake was pretty funny. It was also anticlimactic after all the worrying he did.

I wanted to drop it on the last few chapters, but well, since I made it so far I just went ahead with it. In the end At Attention was... okay. While in the first book the characters' reasons were much better argued and I didn't feel like they were dragging on, here they were not framed well and the same yes-no-maybe-want-can't dance repeated every few pages.

I mentioned some pattern I noticed from the first pages. That pattern is as follows: the characters getting together, one of them being more open to the idea of starting something than the other, one of them pushing harder while the other holding back, they do fun things, act like they are in a relationship all the while telling themselves that was not what was happening, and then, after a serious disagreement and an almost-ultimatum-but-not-quite-because-I-love-him, the one in denial reaches the conclusion that they can't be without the other and rushes to apologise and make things right. I just don't know if I'm up to reading the same thing five more times... I might just take a two book break in between and try the next one, see how it goes while keeping low expectations.

The premise of the novel is very interesting. Though I have to admit that before reading it I only went for two things: (1) it is a Barbara Elsborg novel and I loved the first one I read by the same author (The Story of Us) and (2) I accidentally saw 'cop' in the synopsis. That's already two very good signs that I was going to love the novel. And I did! (I mentioned this before, but for the sake of it I'm saying it again; I usually don't read the synopsis and reviews of books before reading them.)

From the first pages I was intrigued. I was also very worried for the main characters and sad, pained even. I hadn't even got to know them yet, and still, I was so worried for Kell and Gethin. The angst levels went very high from the first chapters. Kell and Gethin were both in very difficult situations and it was hard to see how things could get better. The plot was so interesting and it really made me feel things. Concern for the most part.

But I got really lucky too. The novel exceeded all my expectations. I only had The Story of Us as an idea of what to expect so I expected something less steamy. Well, things got hot and heavy fast and often and I loved it. A casual relationship sounded great for both Kell and Gethin, but things don't always turn out as planned.

There's another character I have to mention and that is Angel. He was so great, a spark of joy every time he appeared on the page, no matter the context. He was just so fun, he made me laugh or at least smile on every occasion.

There were obviously characters I didn't like as well, but let's not talk about those. They were awful and some deserved really bad things to happen to them. On that front I declare myself satisfied for the most part.

I loved the novel, it surely drew me in (ha!) and I really, really wanted it to be longer. I loved the main characters, they are both so human and have a fun sense of humour. I really liked reading their conversations.

I am so ready to dive right into the next Barbara Elsborg novel. This might turn into an author crush situation.

I feel like I should mention the fact that this novel has something to do with Christmas, holidays, whatever, but I don't really care for holidays. So there, I mentioned it.

This novel goes up in my 'great novels' list.

At first I was worried about where the plot was heading, I leaned to think Russ was rushing into something he was not ready for, but to my delight, and relief, I was proven wrong. You can't blame me though, because Esteban thought pretty much the same.

Russ and Esteban make a great pair, they are wonderful together and I liked both of them a lot. Extra points for actually talking things out.

The novel is way more entertaining than I was expecting, and I loved the display of a new and healthy relationship. It was fun watching Russ and Esteban slowly realize that their make believe relationship turned into something else and absolutely loved how mature they were about it.

And, oh yeah, it's steamy hot!