You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
amandas_reading_nook's Reviews (372)
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A locked-room mystery set on a plane with multiple suspicious characters and a potentially unreliable main character? Say less.
Makayla Rossi is traveling back home to New York with her infant son, Liam, after visiting her father in Anchorage. Halfway through the flight Makayla asks the woman across the aisle from her if she'll keep an eye on Liam so she can go to the restroom. The woman agrees, but when Makayla returns Liam isn't in his bassinet. The plane is searched, the FBI is contacted, but there is no sign of Liam. When no one on board can recall ever actually seeing the baby, their suspicion turns to Makayla.
This book was a wild ride, and I had so much fun reading it! I am a sucker for a locked-room mystery and I'm not sure a room can get more locked than a plane mid flight. I thought the author did a really good job of writing all the side characters and giving multiple of the people on board a motive for why they might've taken a baby. I also enjoyed the inclusion of the pilot and intelligence analyst's perspectives, as I thought they added some depth to the story. While this was a quick read in general, coming in at under 300 pages, the short chapters and different POVs really kept me turning the pages to figure out what happened next.
This certainly wasn't the most believable plot, but I thought it was balanced by the author's obvious research into police procedure and airplane mechanics. I did feel like the dialogue got a little repetitive at times, with different characters relaying the same information to each other in different POVs, but it wasn't to the point that it affected my enjoyment of the book.
If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller I would recommend giving this one a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer!
Makayla Rossi is traveling back home to New York with her infant son, Liam, after visiting her father in Anchorage. Halfway through the flight Makayla asks the woman across the aisle from her if she'll keep an eye on Liam so she can go to the restroom. The woman agrees, but when Makayla returns Liam isn't in his bassinet. The plane is searched, the FBI is contacted, but there is no sign of Liam. When no one on board can recall ever actually seeing the baby, their suspicion turns to Makayla.
This book was a wild ride, and I had so much fun reading it! I am a sucker for a locked-room mystery and I'm not sure a room can get more locked than a plane mid flight. I thought the author did a really good job of writing all the side characters and giving multiple of the people on board a motive for why they might've taken a baby. I also enjoyed the inclusion of the pilot and intelligence analyst's perspectives, as I thought they added some depth to the story. While this was a quick read in general, coming in at under 300 pages, the short chapters and different POVs really kept me turning the pages to figure out what happened next.
This certainly wasn't the most believable plot, but I thought it was balanced by the author's obvious research into police procedure and airplane mechanics. I did feel like the dialogue got a little repetitive at times, with different characters relaying the same information to each other in different POVs, but it wasn't to the point that it affected my enjoyment of the book.
If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller I would recommend giving this one a try.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer!
This was such a heartbreaking story and a beautiful exploration into what it means to be a family. I really enjoyed the author's writing and thought she did a good job of developing these complex characters. I applaud Norma's character for having so much grace, because I don't think that I could in the same situation.
I thought the love story in this book was just as fun as the other two in the series, though I will admit that I wanted a little bit more from the plot. I was curious how the author was going to write this book, because while Leather and Lark takes place immediately after the events of Butcher and Blackbird, its very obvious in those books that Fionn and Rose's story is unfolding behind the scenes. This book does fill in the gaps of those two, but that also meant there wasn't a lot of repeated plot happening. Don't get me wrong, all of Rose's vigilante justice was very fun, but I just felt like I needed a little bit more.
I'll start by saying that while I am familiar with the plot of Macbeth I have never read or seen the play, and therefore didn't have many preconceived notions of what Lady Macbeth's character should be like. I was also aware that this wasn't going to be a faithful retelling, and more of an AU reimagining.
So all of that being said, I had a really fun time with this book. I actually really enjoyed Reid's take on Lady Macbeth's character and thought she had plenty of agency and ambition.
I also just adore Reid's writing. She does beautiful prose and a chilling, gothic setting so well.
So all of that being said, I had a really fun time with this book. I actually really enjoyed Reid's take on Lady Macbeth's character and thought she had plenty of agency and ambition.
I also just adore Reid's writing. She does beautiful prose and a chilling, gothic setting so well.
This was a tough, but thought-provoking, read. It both amazes and saddens me that Morrison's words on beauty standards, class, and race can still feel so relevant today. As hard as it was to read some parts of this book, we shouldn't let that overshadow what Morrison is trying to say.
Despite not being a huge fan of The Plot, I decided to give The Sequel a try, and it was honestly just fine. I did like Anna as a main character better than her husband, but the plot was just too similar to the first book for me. Except for all of the killing that Anna did of course. I also just didn't buy the fact that Anna is someone who has been careful enough not to be caught for multiple murders, but didn't realize that the sister of the man who raped her was the woman who bought her family home. I can only imagine that the author plans to continue this series based on the way the book ended, but if not then it's worth stating that I don't buy that Anna got away with everything she does at the end of this book also.
Another super twisty thriller from Alice Feeney! It seems like everyone either loves or hates the ending, but I honestly fall somewhere in the middle. It was maybe a little far fetched and unbelievable, but I also didn't see it coming so I'm giving this book 4 stars based on my enjoyment alone. I thought this book was very suspenseful and I loved the spooky atmosphere the island had. I still have chills thinking about that last chapter!
There's honestly not much that I liked about this book. I will say that I don't think the author's writing was bad, I just think this story was not for me.
There wasn't a single character that I liked, or felt like was worthy of redemption- except for Amanda, I guess. I think I mostly didn't like that this was written as a fictional memoir. Sure, all of the characters are confessing to their own wrongdoings, but in this format they don't actually have to face any consequences for their actions. I was also left deeply unsatisfied by the ending. It made me feel like what even was the point of telling me this story?
There wasn't a single character that I liked, or felt like was worthy of redemption- except for Amanda, I guess. I think I mostly didn't like that this was written as a fictional memoir. Sure, all of the characters are confessing to their own wrongdoings, but in this format they don't actually have to face any consequences for their actions. I was also left deeply unsatisfied by the ending. It made me feel like what even was the point of telling me this story?
I'll admit that I was surprised to find that Layne Fargo's new release was set in the world of ice dancing, but holy cow did I love this book! The drama, the tension, the romance, the betrayal, the (alleged) sabotage- all of it was absolutely perfect. There were a few points in the story were I wasn't sure I was going to be happy with the ending, but I honestly think that was part of the fun. We're hearing Katarina's story both from herself and her peers, and while it's obvious that we are building to something big that ended her career, at no point was I sure what that event was. The need to know exactly how everything ended for her (and Heath) kept me hooked through the whole book.
I also thought Fargo's writing was excellent. They Never Learn is one of my all-time-favorite thrillers and I still feel like I could see a big improvement in both her composition and storytelling.
If you have the chance, I would recommend listening to the audiobook. The cast did a phenomenal job and I think the way part of the story is told through a documentary really lends itself to audio!
I also thought Fargo's writing was excellent. They Never Learn is one of my all-time-favorite thrillers and I still feel like I could see a big improvement in both her composition and storytelling.
If you have the chance, I would recommend listening to the audiobook. The cast did a phenomenal job and I think the way part of the story is told through a documentary really lends itself to audio!
Another excellent book by Allen Eskens!
Hana Babic, a middle-aged librarian living in Minnesota, leads a quiet life, known by her younger patrons as only "The Sweater Lady," but thirty years ago she was a girl fighting Serbian forces during the Srebrenica genocide. She fled the war-torn country with her friend, Amina, and a bounty on her head. However, the carefully constructed facade she has built around herself comes crashing down when a detective shows up at her library to tell her that Amina has been murdered. Hana suspects that her past has finally caught up with her, but with Amina's grandson now in her care she's not leaving anything to chance.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Eskens' books, but this one is truly something special. It is a testament to the human spirit, as gut wrenching as it is heartwarming. The story is told in a dual timeline, which I liked and felt like kept me hooked. The chapters in present day Minnesota were almost like a reprieve from the more tense chapters in Bosnia, though I would say both plotlines were action packed and fast paced. I flew through this book, desperate to know what happened next.
My favorite thing about Eskens' writing is his ability to create compelling characters that you want to root for, even when they seek justice outside the confines of the law, and Hana is no exception. Her love for her family is the driving force behind every decision she makes, and her unapologetic quest for vengeance might just make her my favorite of Eskens' heroines. I am always a little wary when male authors are writing women's stories, but The Quiet Librarian and The Stolen Hours, Eskens' only other novel with a female lead, are actually my two favorite by him. You can really see all of the research he's done, and the care he has taken to tell this story, in his writing.
If you are a fan of crime fiction and you haven't read one of Allen Eskens' books yet, what are you waiting for?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Mulholland Books, for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.
Hana Babic, a middle-aged librarian living in Minnesota, leads a quiet life, known by her younger patrons as only "The Sweater Lady," but thirty years ago she was a girl fighting Serbian forces during the Srebrenica genocide. She fled the war-torn country with her friend, Amina, and a bounty on her head. However, the carefully constructed facade she has built around herself comes crashing down when a detective shows up at her library to tell her that Amina has been murdered. Hana suspects that her past has finally caught up with her, but with Amina's grandson now in her care she's not leaving anything to chance.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Eskens' books, but this one is truly something special. It is a testament to the human spirit, as gut wrenching as it is heartwarming. The story is told in a dual timeline, which I liked and felt like kept me hooked. The chapters in present day Minnesota were almost like a reprieve from the more tense chapters in Bosnia, though I would say both plotlines were action packed and fast paced. I flew through this book, desperate to know what happened next.
My favorite thing about Eskens' writing is his ability to create compelling characters that you want to root for, even when they seek justice outside the confines of the law, and Hana is no exception. Her love for her family is the driving force behind every decision she makes, and her unapologetic quest for vengeance might just make her my favorite of Eskens' heroines. I am always a little wary when male authors are writing women's stories, but The Quiet Librarian and The Stolen Hours, Eskens' only other novel with a female lead, are actually my two favorite by him. You can really see all of the research he's done, and the care he has taken to tell this story, in his writing.
If you are a fan of crime fiction and you haven't read one of Allen Eskens' books yet, what are you waiting for?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Mulholland Books, for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.