Reviews

City of the Lost: Part One by Kelley Armstrong

lit_with_leigh's review

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3.0

**Updating my review**

FYI this is a short story... I never really look at the length before I started reading, so if you're like me, this is a heads up. Also, I originally gave this 3 stars, but tbh, it's more like a 2.5.

THE PLOT

Casey shot a guy at point blank and got away with it, and lucky for society, she's now a cop! When she's not having casual sex with randoms, she's solving crime... This time, her BFFs abusive ex is back in the picture, forcing Casey and her friend to go on the run,

MY OPINNI

It was *shrug emoji*... A quick lil read if you need a distraction or you're waiting for your doctor apt (because it's a universal fact that doctors are always late).

My main gripe is I'm TIREDT of female cops being written this way: short, rough, tough, sex-loving, gun toting, motorcycle riding chick with a MAJOR chip on her shoulder and something to prove. The coolest girl on the block who doesn't know how pretty she is.

Can we get a little more creative here? Give me a 6'2 cop who loves Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and has a stable, monogamous relationship. Mix it up a bit.

PROS AND CONS
Pros: Fast paced, engaging
Cons: Stereotypical female cop character

marilynmalloy's review

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4.0

Good beginning :) Glad I took the plunge!

girlwiththepinkskimask's review

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3.0

**Updating my review**

FYI this is a short story... I never really look at the length before I started reading, so if you're like me, this is a heads up. Also, I originally gave this 3 stars, but tbh, it's more like a 2.5.

THE PLOT

Casey shot a guy at point blank and got away with it, and lucky for society, she's now a cop! When she's not having casual sex with randoms, she's solving crime... This time, her BFFs abusive ex is back in the picture, forcing Casey and her friend to go on the run,

MY OPINNI

It was *shrug emoji*... A quick lil read if you need a distraction or you're waiting for your doctor apt (because it's a universal fact that doctors are always late).

My main gripe is I'm TIREDT of female cops being written this way: short, rough, tough, sex-loving, gun toting, motorcycle riding chick with a MAJOR chip on her shoulder and something to prove. The coolest girl on the block who doesn't know how pretty she is.

Can we get a little more creative here? Give me a 6'2 cop who loves Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and has a stable, monogamous relationship. Mix it up a bit.

PROS AND CONS
Pros: Fast paced, engaging
Cons: Stereotypical female cop character

alienor's review

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3.0



Edit : After my huge disappointment in Part 3, I decided that I won't read the rest.

WTF is this? I don't usually read serials, and frankly, I don't want to post 6 long reviews about what should be a book. Therefore, I decided to post short reviews like this one for each part of [a:Kelley Armstrong|7581|Kelley Armstrong|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1199068298p2/7581.jpg]'s story.



Plot : Casey, the MC, has killed someone 12 years ago. While she works as a cop and tries to help her best friend against her crazy stalker of her ex-husband, they learn about an hidden city where people who want to disappear can start a new life. Unbelievable, you say? That's exactly what Casey thinks (me too). More generally, to enjoy this story you'll need to suspend your disbelief - a lot. From the way she got out of any murder charges to the mafia chase, many things seem completely out of reality.

Writing : As usual with [a:Kelley Armstrong|7581|Kelley Armstrong|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1199068298p2/7581.jpg], I find myself grinning at several interactions and the writing keeps its addictive effect.

Characters : Well, I'm not used to judge characters on less than 100 pages, so the only thing I can say so far is this : they are a little stereotypical and lack depth, but perhaps it can be explained by the serial support. Anyway, Casey appears to be a strong heroine for sure, and I can't wait to learn more about her.

Trigger warning : Violence, rape threats, domestic abuse (so far, I'm a little unsettled by the dispassionate way they are handled. I hope it changes in the future)

Favorite quote : "You..." she says, "killed a man?"
The apprehensive look. I know it well - that moment where they're certain they've misheard. Or that I mean it in a metaphorical way.
I broke a man's heart. Which is technically true. A bullet does break a heart. Irrevocably, it seems."

Part 2 : ★★★ (click on the stars to read my review)

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thechaoshour's review

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5.0

Quick Thoughts
1. Not Kelley's usually style but I can tell it's going to be good.
2. I'm really excited for the mystery town!
3. Loving the main character. Could she be any more badass?!
4. I'm kind of liking this whole parts thing. It forces me to stop and take breaks.
5. I'm also hating this parts thing because I want to read it all now!

lindca's review

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3.0

3.5 stars

molokovell0cet's review

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4.0

3.5 stars rated up

I think the concept behind this story is pretty unique and intriguing. To have a new part of the story published weekly, eventually creating a full novel, is a smart marketing decision. It makes for a fast paced and quick read that leaves you with a longing for the next installment once you have reached the end of each section.

I wasn't really sure where this story was going until about 75% of the way through. Honestly, I'm still a little unsure of where this story may go. I went into this one blind and didn't read the synopsis before hand. For the most part, I decided to pick up City of the Lost because (1) it was a mere 99 cents on the Kobo website and (2) the cover was quite intriguing. I hate to admit that I judged this book by it's cover, but it reminded me a lot of one of the variations of the Station Eleven cover by Emily St. John Mandel.

The writing is fast paced and easy to follow. I'm hoping for some more character development as the story goes on. I enjoyed the back story of the main character Casey, but I'm also hoping to learn a little more about her and the other secondary characters, Diana and Kurt.

I found out about this series a little late in the game, so part two has already been released! I'll definitely be purchasing it as I am excited to see where this story is going. I'm especially curious about this mysterious town...

krisrid's review

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4.0

Kelley Armstrong does it again! She's one of my fave authors for one very good reason - she writes great stories!

Part one of this serial story about a city where people go to disappear drew me right in! I love the characters and the story - although a departure from the paranormal that is her usual style - really get this serial off to a kick-ass beginning.

Looking forward to continuing with part two!

si0bhan's review

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4.0

The following is a review of the entire City of the Lost collection, as I waited for it to be released in its entirety before reading…


Kelley Armstrong is one of those authors to have quickly worked her way onto my favourite authors list, doing so after just a couple of books. As it stands, I’ve been working my way through her Women of the Otherworld books at a snail’s pace. I adore the series, but it is taking me a while. When I saw City of the Lost on sale, I knew it was time for me to jump into something else, something different. Taking a step away from the paranormal romance I knew and loved, I was eager to dive into a Kelley Armstrong thriller.

Thrillers and mysteries are actually some of my favourite books, even if I haven’t read all that many as of late. I’ve been in one of those moods where I’ve been picking up contemporary romance or paranormal romances. There was a time where such a thing would have horrified me, I never imagined I would reach the point where romance was my choice of read, yet such is where I’ve been at recently. However, when I was looking at my bookshelf and trying to decide what I was to pick up next, I knew I would be taking a break from that mood. City of the Lost was calling out to me, begging me to return to my mystery and thriller mindset.

Whilst there is romance within this story, as I’ve come to expect from Kelley Armstrong, it does not take over the entire story. It is there simmering in the background, slowly building, wiggling into your heart at a leisurely pace. You are aware of it, you ship it, you enjoy it, but it does not take over the entire story. There are scenes focusing solely upon the romance factor, but it is not the main element of the story. As I’ve said, this has more of a mystery and thriller kind of vibe.

At first, the story is a bit slow. It takes a few chapters before you’re completely pulled in. At the start, I believe people will fall into one of two categories. They will either be extremely intrigued, or they will be bored of waiting for the story to start. Whatever category you fall into, hold on. It does take a while for things to get moving, but once the story is moving we have quite a few different elements going on. Each time you think you’ve reached the bottom of the secrets to be uncovered, something more is added. There are some predictable elements and some surprising elements, and all work to bring the story together in a wonderful way.

As my first introduction to Kelley Armstrong’s thrillers, it was a wonderful read. I’m so glad there are more Casey Duncan books to come, as I’m going to be grabbing them up. I fell in love with the characters, the story, and the town. Without a doubt, I’ll be returning for more.

The Women of the Otherworld books were enough to cement Kelley Armstrong as a favourite author, but City of the Lost has shown she has more up her sleeve than I’d initially thought.

dianchie's review

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4.0

I really liked this first entry. I will be re-reading it before starting the next parts since it has been so long since I read this one.