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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
very bad writing, nothing thrilling about this book - suddenly there would be too much of explanation about surviving in a jungle and about the jungle!
If you can get over some rather implausible plot twists and simply enjoy the action, it's a highly readable, fast-paced thriller. Reads like an action-survival movie.
The first half was a 2 and the second a 4, so that makes it a three.
Dates: 23/4/2020-27/4/2020
Format: Audiobook
Stars: ★★★½
Grade/ rating: B
~ Notes:
Format: Audiobook
Stars: ★★★½
Grade/ rating: B
~ Notes:
A tad overwrought. A tad too long. A tad too unbelievable. Otherwise, a pretty good read.
3.5 Stars for Story, 2.5 Stars for Narration
Mini-Review:
The overall story by Hurwitz is good. He has a way of mixing the everyday moments that make up a life with the horrific. A nice blend for a thriller. I would have enjoyed the story more if I had read it vs listening to the audio. I wasn't a fan of the female narrator. She did the majority of the reading. I would have preferred Scott Brick doing the whole thing and having his not really female voice vocals in favor of the other's inconsistently accented & phrased work.
There is a slow setup and and well paced growth in the story. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from this story but it's not too different from the tones that are in the Ethan Smoak series. I liked it. I will see if I can make time to come back and read this one in print at some point.
Mini-Review:
The overall story by Hurwitz is good. He has a way of mixing the everyday moments that make up a life with the horrific. A nice blend for a thriller. I would have enjoyed the story more if I had read it vs listening to the audio. I wasn't a fan of the female narrator. She did the majority of the reading. I would have preferred Scott Brick doing the whole thing and having his not really female voice vocals in favor of the other's inconsistently accented & phrased work.
There is a slow setup and and well paced growth in the story. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from this story but it's not too different from the tones that are in the Ethan Smoak series. I liked it. I will see if I can make time to come back and read this one in print at some point.
Very tense thriller. The premise seems far-fetched but the execution was interesting.
I was surprised at how much I was drawn into this story. It started out slow but i just outlived along and before I knew it BAM! I didn’t want to get out of the car because then I would have to wait til the next day to find out more! Yes at times Eve was a little annoying in her determination to find out about Theresa Hamilton but her resolve and dedication made up for that earlier faux pas. The secondary characters had me hooked as well. There were annoying ones as well as mysterious ones. I truly rooted for them all to return.
This is a first time author for me. I love jungle stories for some reason and this fit perfectly. The characters drew me in and became real for me. The story could have been moved along a bit quicker but then I might have missed some intricate plot. Anyway it’s a good listen for me.
This is a first time author for me. I love jungle stories for some reason and this fit perfectly. The characters drew me in and became real for me. The story could have been moved along a bit quicker but then I might have missed some intricate plot. Anyway it’s a good listen for me.
This was pure escapist reading at its best.
Our heroine starts off weak and adrift after her husband leaves her for another woman. She's lost her way and her identity. But underneath, she still remains the tough and clever woman she was in her younger days. She decides to go through with an eco-tourist trip to Southern Mexico, alone instead of on the anniversary trip it was meant to be. Once there, things take a turn for the worse for her and her tourist group. Her discovery of her former brave and resourceful self in a terrifying ordeal in the jungles of Mexico seems mostly believable. The author did a good job of balancing her responsibility to keep herself safe as a mother and her moral necessity to help others in need, although I think sometimes the mother part of her would've won out, effectively ending the story. This is a survival action-thriller, butI couldn't help thinking if it were a film, I'd have to classify it as horror with a fun dose of Indiana Jones thrown in.
The descriptions of the jungle really put me in the scenes. The characters were a little stereo-typed and not exactly complex, but interesting enough for a plot-driven novel.
The villain was over-the-top and for some reason, I felt annoyed that it was a Middle-Eastern terrorist. Like the author knew we'd all be assuming the villain had to be involved with a Mexican drug cartel and he'd pulled one over on the readers because Surprise! It's a Muslim extremist terrorist! Of course I didn't see that coming, but a bad guy's a bad guy for the purposes of a story like this so I don't quite understand the need for that particular "twist."
Other than that, I really enjoyed this fast-paced book. The tension and suspense just got ratcheted up each chapter. The end went on a bit long, but that made the pay-off all the more satisfying.
Definitely one to add to your list for a vacation read or to make that airplane ride faster.
Our heroine starts off weak and adrift after her husband leaves her for another woman. She's lost her way and her identity. But underneath, she still remains the tough and clever woman she was in her younger days. She decides to go through with an eco-tourist trip to Southern Mexico, alone instead of on the anniversary trip it was meant to be. Once there, things take a turn for the worse for her and her tourist group. Her discovery of her former brave and resourceful self in a terrifying ordeal in the jungles of Mexico seems mostly believable. The author did a good job of balancing her responsibility to keep herself safe as a mother and her moral necessity to help others in need, although I think sometimes the mother part of her would've won out, effectively ending the story. This is a survival action-thriller, butI couldn't help thinking if it were a film, I'd have to classify it as horror with a fun dose of Indiana Jones thrown in.
The descriptions of the jungle really put me in the scenes. The characters were a little stereo-typed and not exactly complex, but interesting enough for a plot-driven novel.
The villain was over-the-top and for some reason, I felt annoyed that it was a Middle-Eastern terrorist. Like the author knew we'd all be assuming the villain had to be involved with a Mexican drug cartel and he'd pulled one over on the readers because Surprise! It's a Muslim extremist terrorist! Of course I didn't see that coming, but a bad guy's a bad guy for the purposes of a story like this so I don't quite understand the need for that particular "twist."
Other than that, I really enjoyed this fast-paced book. The tension and suspense just got ratcheted up each chapter. The end went on a bit long, but that made the pay-off all the more satisfying.
Definitely one to add to your list for a vacation read or to make that airplane ride faster.
The premise of this book was promising - recently single mother heads to jungle to find herself. I enjoyed the small cast of characters she meets at the outset of her journey and the initial intrigue built around the mystery man in the jungle. Once we find out who he is, the story became too far fetched for me to enjoy. The latter half of the book is entirely action, which was well done if you enjoy that type of reading. The ending was satisfying. A decent read but nothing that will stick out for me.