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tessisreading2's review against another edition
3.0
This was competently written but not particularly thrilling; definitely doesn't convince me to start reading more thrillers. The plot got a little overwrought by the end, with too many different threads which didn't intertwine - each thread had a totally separate explanation, which felt very reliant on coincidence.
optomkg423's review against another edition
4.0
Great book but I feel like the tumor diagnosis at the end was a cop out. A scan would and should have been a long time ago, when she was in the ER, before they wanted her to get a psych evaluation.
sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
A good suspense tale. I thought the author did a good job combining the historical story with the contemporary one and the use of the music in the audio version was very well done. The narration was performed by Julia Whelan and Will Damron and both were top notch.
shailydc's review against another edition
4.0
*NetGalley ARC*
I didn't want to stop reading Playing with Fire, a theme that is consistent for me and all the Rizzoli & Isles Tess Gerritsen books I've read. Although this was not a R&I book, it was just as interesting. My only complaint is that the ending felt a little too easy and wrapped up too quickly. I think there was more story left to explore.
I didn't want to stop reading Playing with Fire, a theme that is consistent for me and all the Rizzoli & Isles Tess Gerritsen books I've read. Although this was not a R&I book, it was just as interesting. My only complaint is that the ending felt a little too easy and wrapped up too quickly. I think there was more story left to explore.
andrealoverke's review against another edition
Gripping. You have to read on because you want to know what happens next.
thejessiejoy's review against another edition
2.0
I tried to read this. But it became so tedious and I couldn’t get past the fact that the author has apparently never met a 3-year-old. She kept saying that the daughter was SO SMART and yet she acted like a 1-year-old. She clearly researched the crap out of this book. Spend five minutes with a child the age you’re writing about!
xvicesx's review against another edition
I love Tess Gerritsen. Her books are usually an insta-buy with me. But this one simply failed to lure me in. And now, some 30% along, I realise that I genuinely have no desire to continue reading this book, and I don't want it to keep mocking me from my currently-reading shelf.
Alas, Playing with Fire, I must bid you adieu. I hope other people enjoy you more than me.
Alas, Playing with Fire, I must bid you adieu. I hope other people enjoy you more than me.
jenhitch7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tobyyy's review against another edition
5.0
Many thanks to Random House Publishing and Ballantine Books, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review!
I was so excited to read Playing with Fire. Seriously, over-the-top excited. And it did not disappoint. This book combines two of my favorite topics -- music (specifically violin, which is near and dear to my heart since I am a violinist myself) and WWII.
I've read a few of the other reviews. Some say that the ending was too rushed for them to really rate this book super well. Some say that the alternating timelines, between Julia's present-day story and Lorenzo's life in 1944 -- didn't work that well for them.
I can see how some people may not like the ending. It did feel a bit rushed to me as well -- still well-done, but it brought a lot of elements into the story rather suddenly that hadn't been mentioned prior to the last 20% of the book or so. That being said, it worked well enough for me.
The actual story behind the piece of music that Julia found -- Incendio -- was chilling. Not in the way I had thought it would be, since from the beginning of the book the readers are almost tuned to be looking for supernatural stuff going on. I've read other books by Gerritsen, though, and was pretty sure that she probably wasn't going to take that route. However, the explanation given at the end for what happened at the start of the book is a little unsatisfying, given how much of a build up there was to Incendio's story.
But even that can't detract from my 5 star rating. I don't know what it was, precisely, about Playing with Fire that I loved so much. But I loved it. It's one of those books that I will happily rave about to anyone who is listening. Yes, be aware of the ending, it's a bit rushed, but if you love music and love WWII history, then please read this!
I was so excited to read Playing with Fire. Seriously, over-the-top excited. And it did not disappoint. This book combines two of my favorite topics -- music (specifically violin, which is near and dear to my heart since I am a violinist myself) and WWII.
I've read a few of the other reviews. Some say that the ending was too rushed for them to really rate this book super well. Some say that the alternating timelines, between Julia's present-day story and Lorenzo's life in 1944 -- didn't work that well for them.
I can see how some people may not like the ending. It did feel a bit rushed to me as well -- still well-done, but it brought a lot of elements into the story rather suddenly that hadn't been mentioned prior to the last 20% of the book or so. That being said, it worked well enough for me.
The actual story behind the piece of music that Julia found -- Incendio -- was chilling. Not in the way I had thought it would be, since from the beginning of the book the readers are almost tuned to be looking for supernatural stuff going on. I've read other books by Gerritsen, though, and was pretty sure that she probably wasn't going to take that route. However, the explanation given at the end for what happened at the start of the book is a little unsatisfying, given how much of a build up there was to Incendio's story.
But even that can't detract from my 5 star rating. I don't know what it was, precisely, about Playing with Fire that I loved so much. But I loved it. It's one of those books that I will happily rave about to anyone who is listening. Yes, be aware of the ending, it's a bit rushed, but if you love music and love WWII history, then please read this!