nigmatillium

All of the books in this series had been intense, a lot of things happening, but 'Waiting for Ru' had the most surprises. For one, while it gave me a lot of anxiety, it was the least eventful. I mean, no one got stabbed.

Ru was great and I felt so sorry for him to be met with hostility and bullying and I was worried things will escalate to a very dangerous situation. While things were bad, they could have gotten so much worse and I'm glad they didn't. I was worried for Ru and couldn't help but worry about Bela as well. But Bela's so smart, she was a real help.

It's been a while since I read 'Give Yourself Away' so it took until Jasim told Ru what he'd done that I realised who he was. That was the biggest surprise, I did not expect any of the characters to have any connection to anyone outside the Unfinished Business series. I didn't have any strong feelings about Jasim while reading 'Give Yourself Away', but I did like him a bit, so I'm glad to find out more about him, as unexpected as that might have been.

I liked Leigh and Newt a lot too and I'm curious about them as well. Not so much as how they met as about how they are now. I'm sure established couples have a lot coming at them too. And they seemed so lovely, both as friends to Jasim and Ru, but as a couple as well.

I'm still surprised at how calm this book was compared to the others in the series. Was it really? Or am I just getting used to having the main characters go through misery and pain?

There's surely good things coming for Ru and Jasim and I'm glad they found each other. They have some catching up to do, a lot of firsts coming up for both of them.

I did not expect to like this book of the series as much as I did. I was wary about Cato because I was under the impression he was very similar to Jonty when I met him in the other books, but I was surprised, he was great, I liked him. I liked Vigge too, but I have to say, out of all Barbara Elsborg books I read, the communication is the worse here. And yet, that offers another proof that context and the way something is written is very important. It makes a lot of sense why the communication is not the best here, Vigge has never been in a relationship before, he's clueless to what he's supposed to do. His behaviour was quite realistic.

I really liked, I loved, that Devan and Cato keep so much in touch. Their relationship is great, I am so glad they are so close and that Cato trusts Devan so much. I had no idea I needed that type of relationship in this book, it makes me feel so joyful. I also like a lot that so far Devan and Jonty make an appearance in every book of the series and I'm so glad to find out Jonty met his sister and they got along, really happy for Jonty.

The plot of 'Reinventing Cato' was interesting, it took an unexpected turn after the other books. But I also see there's a stabbing theme going on. In the first chapters I thought 'oh, no, there's going to be a stabbing' and I dreaded it, but when it finally happened, I was surprised. I don't know how to make this sound good, but it was a good stabbing. It didn't feel repetitive or tedious, it was kind of natural. There were other things I thought might happen and I dreaded them happening so I'm glad they did not happen. I definitely liked 'Reinventing Cato' more than I did 'A Long Way Back' and I was not expecting that.

But back to Cato and Vigge. The communication is getting worked on (but let me just say this, Cato was very generous to Vigge, giving him so many chances. After his congratulations on the job I really wanted Cato to text him 'you know what, I did not know about the job until now, but nevermind, I've had it, I'm not pursuing this relationship any further' because his jumping to conclusions then annoyed me. Vigge would have looked for Cato and talk to him if he'd sent a text like that so all good) and they'll get there, but when they were together, getting to know each other, they were so good. I loved them together, they were clearly right for each other and despite everything I'm glad they made it work. And Vigge already learned so much about this relationship thing.

There were a few other things that I really liked in this book, I liked Cato's naughty drawer, and I liked the way he dealt with Max and Louise (was it Louise? L-something), he kept the discussion as civil as he could, he didn't escalate things, he was firm on his position. Well done. Other than that, yeah, great book, really liked it.

Oh, this book.

Every single time Ink talked about his past I was so sad. Like seriously sad. I didn't know what he went through and I was curious to find out, but I was also really, really sad. Ink is such a great guy and even before I found out what he was hiding I knew for sure he did not do it. He's so kind and caring he couldn't do anyone harm.

I understood Tay, I understood him blaming Jonty for what happened, but I was also glad he knew it wasn't Jonty's fault. And I also found myself—along with Tay and Jonty—asking what if Tay would have come out sooner, what if he would have confessed to Jonty that he felt the same. I think they would have really worked out as a couple, and maybe there's always going to be that 'what if' between them, but they are really great friends first of all. And I'm really glad they are such great friends.

Besides me being sad about Ink's background, I was also anxious about what type of crap is going to rain down on both Ink and Tay and I'm actually kind of disappointed Ink didn't have his steak. Well, I'm sure he eventually did, along with other things he missed out on, but, man, that would have been a great steak.

The plot is nuts and I'm amazed how it all makes sense, starting with Tay's coming out and to the conclusion of the book. There is so much going on—no surprise there—and I should be used to it by now. Well, parts of the plot are far fetched and exaggerated, but there was just so much feeling I didn't notice or mind it while reading.

I do have one negative-ish thing to say. And I don't know how to phrase it. It's about the sex. The sex is great, but about the switching in the bedroom. Which is also great, but it always has this explanation of 'to show him I trust him'. Why is that the ultimate proof of trust? I don't get it. I don't mind it as much when the trust is implied, but when it's laid out in the narration it feels wrong somehow. Just let them enjoy sex whichever way they want to, I can think of at least five better ways one can show trust. And this is not something I encountered only in Barbara Elsborg's books, but I keep seeing it more often.

I am still sad about the book, there was a lot of sadness, but there was also a lot of hope and, as I assumed would happen, I found out who Ru is (only that for some reason I was expecting to find out about him in the next book) and I'm really curious about him. But before that, I need to find out what Cato's deal is.

I liked that Jonty said in the first book that he'd want to see the glass beach (Ussuri Bay I think it was) and he actually gets to see it in this short story, all thanks to Devan. For some reason I thought they were only going to see the beach, but no, they had a lot of fun and that's great. I liked Jonty and Devan exploring Vladivostok, skating on the frozen sea, experiencing banya, trying all kinds of exciting foods, and making friends.

I wasn't even surprised that Jonty got in trouble, and I liked that he was more worried about ruining the clothes Devan bought for him than him being injured. He's so pure. And Devan is such a good boyfriend, he cares so much about Jonty, loves him so much that he only wants to make him happy, wants to experience things together with him, and worries so much about him. He even looks for solutions to make things that can't work, work, all because Jonty wants something. He's really so good to Jonty and that makes me happy. They are both good to each other, Jonty in return looks for ways to show Devan how much he appreciates and loves him and for ways to make him laugh. This short story was really nice and with both 'Jonty's Christmas' and 'Jonty in Russia' I liked having the gap between the book and its epilogue filled in.

Reading the title of the book along with the series name, I thought this was a spy story, some exciting police business at least, some investigation, detective work, guns, bad guys, stuff like that. ‘The Making of Jonty Bloom' was nowhere close to what I was expecting. I might have expected something like that because the last Barbara Elsborg book I read featured some of those things.

I am not at all disappointed I didn't get that, don't get me wrong. I loved this book, I loved Jonty and I loved Devan and I want to write this review then go right back to continuing reading the series.

Barbara Elsborg is definitely one of my favourite authors, I don't have a neat ordered list, but her books are not a miss with me, so far at least. All of her characters are unique and the plots are amazing. Barbara Elsborg makes up some really intriguing and entertaining story lines and manages to keep me glued to her books. Here, in ‘The Making of Jonty Bloom', I wanted to both keep reading, see what's happening next and thread carefully because I was worried about what might happen next.

While the plot made me worry, I had no doubt about Devan and Jonty, they were clearly made for each other, I loved seeing them together, although they sure took their sweet time. I so wanted to finally see them get on with it, and when it finally happened it was great.

I usually lean more towards one of the main characters, but here I loved both of them just as much. And I loved the way they talked openly, honestly, and about everything. How they simply asked if there was something they wanted to know, how good listeners they both were and how they learned so much about one another just by paying attention. They started great and kept being great and they were great together.

Needless to say Brad made me anxious for a good portion of the book. I was expecting him to pop up almost every page and that was not fun. Griff sucked, Ravi sucked, everyone else was okay. Ish. I'm still debating about Willis, Alan, and the sous-chef, and I'm not convinced about half of the parents either, the other half sucked. Felt sorry for Tay, and the lady from the salon opposite the laundrette was cool.

I think I covered most of what I wanted to say (although I am wondering what's the deal with the parents. I see it's common in Barbara Elsborg's books for the parents to be awful) and I'm off to check out the next of Jonty's adventures.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Suddenly a thought popped up in my head and that thought was I want to read a Garrett Leigh book. It's been a while since I read a book by this author so I looked into my library and this was the only one I have at the moment so I picked it up.

It's the middle of August so when I started reading and saw that the plot is set close to Christmas, I wanted to drop it and read it in the winter, but I instantly liked the characters so much I couldn't bring myself to put it down.

Jonah was great and charming, but Sacha stole the show, I adored him. His dry sense of humour was hilarious, his want of having things laid out clearly was both funny and hot depending on the context, and he was a general joy to have on the page to the point where I missed him when he was nowhere around for more than two and a half pages. It was instant love.

The story progressed so nicely, it had none of the typical tropes in a fake-boyfriend or friends-to-lovers type of story and that made me very happy. If I think about it I might have not even noticed them or at least not be bothered by them at all given how taken with the characters I was. Beside the two main characters, I liked Jonah and Sacha's co-workers too, as well as their families and friends (especially Eleanor and maybe sometimes I didn't like Lilly all that much, but she's good).

Angels in the City is a great read, maybe read it in December for a better immersion in the story. If I would have to pick something I was not thrilled about. is the length of the book, this book is one of those I would have loved to be a bit longer, I want more of Sacha's humour.

It's been a too long while since I read a book that kept me so entertained and one that I did not want to finish. I reached the last page and I was dazed, I wanted more of it.

Full disclosure: I'm a John Grisham fan and so far I only had praise for his books.

To start off, things were moving very fast. Sometimes John Grisham's books are unexpected. Sebastian Rudd is a matter-of-fact guy, he goes straight to the point and he doesn't flourish anything. It took me very little to get into Rogue Lawyer, into this particular storytelling, and I was hooked not even two chapters in, and that's not much. The chapters are very short, some aren't even one page long, in my copy I think the longest was somewhere around 10 pages with most of them being 3-5 pages long. It's no wonder I read it so fast. I'm still a little dazed and need to recover, and I'm afraid it will be hard to get into another book so soon. I will try, though.

Sebastian Rudd is not the most ethical lawyer out there and he sure is colourful, but it was almost impossible to not like him. He's driven by a strong sense of justice and that swooped me off my feet. I might not approve his every stop in the journey, but I approve the end goal.

Part three of the book, the one about the warrior cops, brought me the most satisfaction. It was horrible what happened, but Rudd's performance in court made me both smug and emotional. Way to go! And Jillian's story was the hardest to read about, what awful things happened there... I shuddered in disgust reading those parts and I felt incredibly sad. The other cases were just as engaging and very interesting. I loved the wide range of clients Rudd had and the way he managed them all. Reading about his adventures, his tumultuous career, I really got to like Rudd and sympathise with him. I appreciated his manner of not kicking around the bush and his honesty.

The book is very fast paced, it has six parts, each dealing with a different case, but they are all connected by Sebastian Rudd. The cases happen linearly so it's more like Rudd's journal, let's say, where he writes about his clients, but also about his personal life. Despite this, I never felt like the book is a short story collection, Rogue Lawyer felt very much like a proper novel, one that has parts. About it being fast paced, it sure made me read faster and lose myself in the novel, but it had a downside too, and that was the ending. The book ended in the same manner, it felt abrupt to me. I'm still going to rate it very high because, hey, it's all in character, it doesn't deviate, it doesn't snuggle you in before being done and that's okay.

I'm not sure I made a lot of sense, so bottom line, I liked the book very much and I liked Sebastian Rudd very much.

I first picked up this book a few months ago, but it put me off so hard I had to drop it. However, for some reason I didn't cast it away in the wind and I now decided to give it another try. On my first attempt I didn't enjoy the first three chapters and I have no reason to offer other than I was not in the mood for this kind of book. This time, I liked the first chapters a lot, I had a lot of fun reading about Vinnie's misbehaving. Unfortunately for me, I was also ready for a steamy hot book and that was not what I got. I got more thriller than anything else, and while I like thrillers and Lyn Gala has a way of writing that I can get lost in her books, I couldn't get over my expectations.

So I was enjoying myself, reading about Vinnie's antics, expecting things to go bad, but when they actually went bad I didn't see it coming. I was just as clueless as Vinnie had been. The danger literally stared us in the face and we were none the wiser. The whole kidnapping and Kalb's (I prefer Kalb more than Charleston) dark past made perfect sense, as well as all the followed.

Now, where I have some (other) issue with this book is the dialogue. When I'm reading something I like to be shown what's going on, what drives a character, what motivates them, and not be told. The dialogue did that a lot of the time, telling me what was happening and what to think about this guy or that one and as a result I didn't really connect with anyone and I don't feel like I actually know them.

While I still say that Lyn Gala is a great author, I love how versatile she can get, this book just didn't hit the spot and I was slightly disappointed. I really appreciate the research that went behind this book, it was entertaining and I would love to rate it higher, but I did not get what I signed up for.

My wish came true and in the third and final book of this series I got both Isaac and David's point of views. Having it any differently would have felt wrong and incomplete. Despite this, I liked this book the least of all three.

Again I liked the writing, but I felt like everything went too expectedly and in the smoothest way possible. Of course I like Isaac and David a lot and I want them to be happy, but, I don't know, it was plain, mostly the first half of the book. I don't know how, but so far Keira Andrews managed to almost lose me in the first half of the books, and then pull me in completely in the second half. I can't put my finger on it, but I think the book being divided in 'part one' and 'part two' had something to do with it. The division wasn't justified to me, but it worked wonders.

I expected something else from A Way Home, a different kind of journey, but in the end I got what I expected so I can't really complain. I just wanted a bit more and as a result I can't write a proper review about the book. I liked everyone, they were just as great, I liked Isaac and David finding their way together, I liked Aaron and Jen going along, I liked the accepting, loving characters strewn along (June and Anna were great), but that's about it. A Way Home is a perfect way (ha!) of spending a sunny afternoon, it is a lovely read that's going to leave you feeling content. (It's not the book, it's me, I love angst and worry and storm in books.)

The second book of this series started calm enough, a bit plain I would dare say. With Isaac and David finally in San Francisco, away from everything they ever knew, they started navigating through the world. New things are always exciting at first and that was valid here too. I liked seeing Isaac and David explore the world little by little and finally being able to freely enjoy each other. But all new things come with their own set of challenges and everyone faces them differently.

While for the first half of the book I was just as happy as Isaac and David, in the second half of the book I was worried and hurt. David's decline happened gradually. A worry here, a little indulging once in a while, a little forgetting, a massive change, a bit of fear, and everything kept rolling like a snowball on a huge hill. It's no surprise David felt overwhelmed.

I liked how it all happened gradually. If at first I thought yeah, this is nice and all, but not much is happening, later the book gripped me completely. Keira Andrews managed to show how easily, little by little, one can slip away. It happens so slowly you don't even notice until it's too late. David's small (hopefully) part of the journey felt so natural and even I didn't think much about it until he was steadily jumping from one bad decision to the next. I also liked that it showed how easy it is for loved ones to not notice what is happening either. Sometimes bad things happen very subtly.

The first book in the series, A Forbidden Rumspringa, had Isaac as the main voice, and the second one, David. For the third book I hope to get them both because if at first I found it a little odd to not have Isaac's thoughts on the page, David managed to pull me in fiercely.

I thought I would like A Clean Break less than the first book, but I actually liked it more. For me it's obvious what the next step for Isaac and David should be, but it's going to be challenging nevertheless and I look forward to seeing how and if they are going to come out of the woods.

I was itching to start reading this series for quite a long time, but I kept turning to other books, finishing other series and reading other genres. This is the first book I read concerning the Amish community so I was intrigued. I am happy to say that Keira Andrews did plenty of research on the subject so I also learned a few things while reading this first book.

The book kept me glued to it this afternoon. What I liked most about it, was the questioning. David asked some very pertinent questions and he helped Isaac make a decision by asking those questions. It's so easy to believe whatever someone else tells you and respond to everything with ‘this is our way' that it's terrifying. I cannot express how glad I was by these two wonderful men's wonder and desire to understand why things are that way and not the other. And really, why does it matter what size the hat brim is? And what's wrong with having a cushion on your seat? Some rules are made just to be made, no reason or explanation whatsoever.

For the most part I liked the book, I liked the writing, but I could have done without the classic tropes. There were few, but they took me a little out of the story, I was really expecting something refreshing. However, the writing really is good. This is my first Keira Andrews book so I really went in with not even the faintest idea of what I'm getting and I am not disappointed.

I liked both Isaac and David and I liked that they were not clueless. I liked that there was an explanation for why they were not clueless. There were no plot holes and that makes me happy.

While reading the last two chapters I thought there could be only two endings, one that would make me want to read the next book immediately, and one that would make me maybe give a try to the second book, but it turned out to be a combination of both, to my surprise, and as a result I am more than glad to go ahead and read more about Isaac and David and their journey.

Mathematics was never my strong point. Growing up I barely could solve most problems without having the necessary formulas in front of me, so it comes as no surprise that I can't recall everything the Professor, in a way, tried to teach me. The Housekeeper and Root were undoubtedly much better pupils.

I found the book to be peculiar, but interesting. As much as I don't have a knack for maths, I enjoyed the Professor's explanations. Maybe if he would have been my professor in school, I would have learned more. I liked his passion for mathematics, his tenderness, and his gentle explanations. Even without the memory loss, I think he would have happily explained the same concepts over and over again until they were clear to the Housekeeper and Root. His joy when they understood something was touching.

I wish I would have known the characters' actual names. I don't know why, but Japanese books usually lack names. I did a quick search on the matter, but I came up empty-handed. Maybe the purpose is for the reader to relate better to the characters, to be able to easily imagine real people they know or maybe even themselves as one of the characters. While I see how that would work, it doesn't have that effect on me, and I really wish I could call them in a way. It wouldn't feel right to decide on a name myself.

Besides the name issue (well, not actually issue, more like curiosity), as I already said, I enjoyed the book. At first I felt sorry for the Professor, but I soon got to accept his situation as a fact and go about it more or less the same way the Housekeeper and Root did. I didn't always agree with their solutions, as it's probably to be expected, but for the most part I was glad they were the ones to lead the way.

While reading I was afraid the book might end abruptly or in a cruel manner. I definitely wouldn't have been surprised, but no, the book ended in a very smooth way and I'm glad about it.

And I reached the last volume of The Will Darling Adventures. My dears Will and Kim evolved beautifully along the how-many-pages, particularly Kim who turned, slowly and naturally, from a cold lying bastard to a warm lying swindler, all thanks to the wonder that is Will Darling.

During the first volume and half of the second, I didn't think Kim can show this much vulnerability and this much love, but with Will's influence and encouragements, he turned to be this wonderful character who I like even more. Will too evolved thanks to Kim, he got to see things in a broader way, to not be stuck in the now and dare to dream of what could be.

I said Kim is a lying bastard and while that is true as far as his job is concerned, I love him when he's open and honest. I love how he let Will fully in, how he kept all of his promises and how Will in turn faced his own shortcomings. They are perfect for one another, they truly belong one next to the other. One of the best type of couples are the ones where the partners lift and better each other, and Will and Kim are exactly like that.

The events from this volume are just as intense as the previous two. Surprising things happen, Will and Kim have to fight for the truth, but this time also for their relationship, and they do a great team. I was a little wary at having Kim's family involved, sometimes things tend to become theatrical and cliché when family drama ensues, but I am happy to say this didn't happen here. There was no hiccup in Subtle Blood, nothing that felt unreal or forced and it all flowed smoothly. There were a few situations that could have fallen in the 'ugh' area, but that did not happen. K.J. Charles planed and executed the trilogy perfectly.

I'm happy I joined The Will Darling Adventures and I plan on reading more books by the same author. It was a joy reading this, I can find no flaws.

I was not expecting this short story to be this full with emotion. I liked Kim before, but after reading this I realised I liked him in a superficial way (I mean in the first book). He was this cold man, set on doing the right thing no matter the means and I liked how he was obviously besotted with Will. Now I like him because he gained more depth, he made progress and I got to really know him, to know what he's hiding, what his true feelings and motivations are. I guess he is what I was hoping for (that sounds a bit selfish of me), what I wanted for Will. He's a good man who made some bad things.

Will is great as always, I can't find him any fault. He's so rational and patient. He is perfect for Kim and Kim better not screw this up because Will is without doubt the best thing that could happen to him. To paraphrase a line from the second book, they fit so well together.