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kelly_reads75's review against another edition
4.0
I give this book 4 ⭐️s. That’s a good rating bc I enjoyed the book, however it was a small let down bc I had expected more……I really thought this would be a 5⭐️ read, but for me it wasn’t. It was a solid 4 though.
itputsthebookupontheshelf's review against another edition
3.0
This is a book I both enjoyed and wanted to throw across the room. The stoy itself wasn't bad, but the CONSTANT use of "Little Warrior Girl" made me want to put the book down and kept bringing me out of the story. It was super annoying.
I loved Nina. She was a great character that had been through a lot and overcome it. She is a fighter, hence "Little Warrior Girl". Anyway, she was great and the story was powerful. It had a strong message that you can come out on top, if you push through your pain and circumstance. I also loved the partnerships and friendships that formed. There was a lot of growth between the team members, which was great. A lot of times you see the surface level working relationships, but this story dove into the mindset, compassion and adversity of the team.
The Cipher killer was a pretty good character as well, I enjoyed how creative Isabella got with this character. He was smart, innovative, and ineresting. A chameleon if you will.
I thought that Roxanne did a great job with the audio narration, however I thought that the voice seemed a bit young for the story. Other than that, I enjoyed the audio version and would listen to other books read by Roxanne.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Nina. She was a great character that had been through a lot and overcome it. She is a fighter, hence "Little Warrior Girl". Anyway, she was great and the story was powerful. It had a strong message that you can come out on top, if you push through your pain and circumstance. I also loved the partnerships and friendships that formed. There was a lot of growth between the team members, which was great. A lot of times you see the surface level working relationships, but this story dove into the mindset, compassion and adversity of the team.
The Cipher killer was a pretty good character as well, I enjoyed how creative Isabella got with this character. He was smart, innovative, and ineresting. A chameleon if you will.
I thought that Roxanne did a great job with the audio narration, however I thought that the voice seemed a bit young for the story. Other than that, I enjoyed the audio version and would listen to other books read by Roxanne.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
ahomelibrary's review against another edition
Book Review: The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado (2021) | Police Procedural
The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado
TLDR: A breakout novel from a very accomplished Latina federal law enforcement officer. Police procedural fit for fans of Criminal Minds. Big content warnings (see below). Serial killer, FBI search.
The accomplished author is building off a life of federal law enforcement experience to craft a story about Nina, a woman who experienced a horrible kidnapping at the hands of a budding serial killer. Nina dedicated her life to becoming a FBI agent and solving crimes.
This book is about the fight between Nina and her kidnapper who is obsessed with finding and killing her after years — she changes her name and leaves, but he ends up being able to find her after she goes viral while preventing her own rape while running in the park. “The Cipher” (aka the killer) issues a series of puzzles to Nina in order to taunt and test her, ultimately gaining a country wide following. The FBI enlists cyber experts, criminologists and Nina to the task of tracking down his identity… before he kills again.
REVIEW (spoilers)
This book is heavy on the procedures of a FBI investigation. It utilizes the author’s relevant knowledge to craft the story and inform the reader of what I assume would be the realistic steps taken in this situation. It reminds me of an episode of Criminal Minds, there’s even a quirky computer geek like Penelope. If you’re interested in the psychology / criminology of serial killers, this book also uses this as a major plot theme while they try to solve the Cipher’s puzzles. The reader is clued in to the investigation as well as some of the Cipher’s thoughts in chapters, but the main focus is on Nina. I liked that she was a strong woman who overcame unthinkable horror to become an agent.
It is critical to say that this book is not for everyone. Within the first few pages, there is an explicit attempted rape. There is murder, graphic violence, rape, sexual and physical assault, kidnapping, etc. and the depictions are not sugarcoated. Please exercise caution if you think this may not be the right content for you.
PS: This book is being adapted into a film starring Jennifer Lopez. Pretty awesome!
The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado
TLDR: A breakout novel from a very accomplished Latina federal law enforcement officer. Police procedural fit for fans of Criminal Minds. Big content warnings (see below). Serial killer, FBI search.
The accomplished author is building off a life of federal law enforcement experience to craft a story about Nina, a woman who experienced a horrible kidnapping at the hands of a budding serial killer. Nina dedicated her life to becoming a FBI agent and solving crimes.
This book is about the fight between Nina and her kidnapper who is obsessed with finding and killing her after years — she changes her name and leaves, but he ends up being able to find her after she goes viral while preventing her own rape while running in the park. “The Cipher” (aka the killer) issues a series of puzzles to Nina in order to taunt and test her, ultimately gaining a country wide following. The FBI enlists cyber experts, criminologists and Nina to the task of tracking down his identity… before he kills again.
REVIEW (spoilers)
This book is heavy on the procedures of a FBI investigation. It utilizes the author’s relevant knowledge to craft the story and inform the reader of what I assume would be the realistic steps taken in this situation. It reminds me of an episode of Criminal Minds, there’s even a quirky computer geek like Penelope. If you’re interested in the psychology / criminology of serial killers, this book also uses this as a major plot theme while they try to solve the Cipher’s puzzles. The reader is clued in to the investigation as well as some of the Cipher’s thoughts in chapters, but the main focus is on Nina. I liked that she was a strong woman who overcame unthinkable horror to become an agent.
It is critical to say that this book is not for everyone. Within the first few pages, there is an explicit attempted rape. There is murder, graphic violence, rape, sexual and physical assault, kidnapping, etc. and the depictions are not sugarcoated. Please exercise caution if you think this may not be the right content for you.
PS: This book is being adapted into a film starring Jennifer Lopez. Pretty awesome!
annemarie246's review against another edition
4.0
Best Kindle First book I’ve read, too bad it’ll be a year until the second one is published ☹️
kaitlynn_l2's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 ⭐️
Very fast paced read that kept me wanting more! Highly recommend for those who love psychological thrillers!
Very fast paced read that kept me wanting more! Highly recommend for those who love psychological thrillers!
loathey's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
afid81's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gabrielaa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
susan_dandar's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
c0smic_mistak3's review against another edition
3.0
Not completely sure how I feel about this Nina was a total badass..... and yet...
I liked the insight of Maldonado actually being a G-person so she knows exactly how these things work. but like my friend pointed out... sometimes they can know too much and be too bias. I also wish her teams were a little more flushed out. I get it's the first book and just being introduced but wanted more.
I liked the insight of Maldonado actually being a G-person so she knows exactly how these things work. but like my friend pointed out... sometimes they can know too much and be too bias. I also wish her teams were a little more flushed out. I get it's the first book and just being introduced but wanted more.