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stormlightreader's Reviews (936)
A quick and easy to read true crime book which gives you a good overview of the community in rural Wisconsin, before, during, and after Ed Gein’s crimes. I found myself appreciating how well Schechter introduces the reader to the surroundings and the people of Wisconsin. However, when it comes to writing about Gein, Schechter is straight to the point and does not embellish. This book has been on my true crime TBR for a while and it didn’t disappoint.
I've read the first 5 DCI Ryan books in fairly quick succession and book 5 was another great instalment. The books being set in North East England adds so much appeal to each book and living in the north East makes it so easy to visualise the scenes and makes the books feel even cosier.
High Force picks up right where Angel (book 4) left off, with MacKenzie being held captive by serial killer, Kier Edwards. Phillips is at the forefront of this book (understandably), whereas Lowerson had his chance to shine in the previous book. Getting to know more about these supporting characters has been really enjoyable and really fleshes out Ryan's team. High Force is fast-paced and involves many of the main characters. I enjoyed this book so much because I anticipated the showdown between Ryan and his sister's killer at some point and Edwards really lived up to his reputation. He was really controlled and quite self aware, which made him a much more daunting antagonist. The outcome was satisfying in some ways and frustrating in others. Anna's involvement in the final scene was so frustrating. I questioned Anna's involvement throughout the entire book, especially in the later part of the book, following Phillips' suspension, but this final involvement was predictable and yet still infuriated me. I appreciated her history knowledge and how her expertise could bridge the gap between some of the Northumberland CID team's knowledge. However, her insistence on involving herself in the showdown and potentially putting people at risk was exasperating. Nobody else needed to be put as risk in this situation. Why, Anna? Why?! The ending was quite abrupt and left a couple of questions unanswered but as I am reading these on Kindle Unlimited, I'm not too stressed, as I have the next book right there. This book is pretty much the second part of Angel and you definitely need to read Angel to get the full effect of the story.
The only reason this wasn't 5 stars is due to minor irritations with some of the dialogue and mindset of some of the characters regarding whether it is appropriate for a man to cry and the reader being reminded several times per book that Ryan is good looking. Nevertheless, I love the North East-isms e.g. referring to a Full English breakfast as the ‘Full Geordie’. The banter is great!
High Force picks up right where Angel (book 4) left off, with MacKenzie being held captive by serial killer, Kier Edwards. Phillips is at the forefront of this book (understandably), whereas Lowerson had his chance to shine in the previous book. Getting to know more about these supporting characters has been really enjoyable and really fleshes out Ryan's team. High Force is fast-paced and involves many of the main characters. I enjoyed this book so much because I anticipated the showdown between Ryan and his sister's killer at some point and Edwards really lived up to his reputation. He was really controlled and quite self aware, which made him a much more daunting antagonist. The outcome was satisfying in some ways and frustrating in others. Anna's involvement in the final scene was so frustrating. I questioned Anna's involvement throughout the entire book, especially in the later part of the book, following Phillips' suspension, but this final involvement was predictable and yet still infuriated me. I appreciated her history knowledge and how her expertise could bridge the gap between some of the Northumberland CID team's knowledge. However, her insistence on involving herself in the showdown and potentially putting people at risk was exasperating. Nobody else needed to be put as risk in this situation. Why, Anna? Why?! The ending was quite abrupt and left a couple of questions unanswered but as I am reading these on Kindle Unlimited, I'm not too stressed, as I have the next book right there. This book is pretty much the second part of Angel and you definitely need to read Angel to get the full effect of the story.
The only reason this wasn't 5 stars is due to minor irritations with some of the dialogue and mindset of some of the characters regarding whether it is appropriate for a man to cry and the reader being reminded several times per book that Ryan is good looking. Nevertheless, I love the North East-isms e.g. referring to a Full English breakfast as the ‘Full Geordie’. The banter is great!
See No Evil didn't grab me as much as book 1 did. I like DI Archer, her partner DS Quinn and Archer's boss, DCI Pierce. The characters are what kept me reading. The plot wasn't gripping but I was keen to see how the plot played out, so I was intrigued enough to read to the end.
I might pick up book 3 if I can find it on my library app or Scribd.
I might pick up book 3 if I can find it on my library app or Scribd.
The story is well written and Sanderson does two things well: fight scenes and info dumping. The magic system - anything that is even remotely rooted in reality (or science) is a winner with me. I found it really easy to get my head around and found it really interesting to follow. On my first read I really liked Kelsier, Marsh, Dockson and Sazed. Vin hadn't won me over.
The book started out quite info dumpy - lots of tell, very little show. The book is littered with clichés ('families are like snowflakes: each and every one is unqiue') and there are painfully clear attempts to set up characters but it's so obvious, it's not believable. There's also several obvious red herrings and a major point that was quite easy to figure out.
It's a big shame that Feeney's biggest skill seems to be building and trampling tension in the same sentence. There could have been so much atmosphere and tension but it felt like all of the 'clues' were handed to the reader on a platter.
That said, Rose was crazy relatable at points, I didn’t guess the main twist and I was clearly intrigued enough to finish the book, so credit where credit's due.
It's a big shame that Feeney's biggest skill seems to be building and trampling tension in the same sentence. There could have been so much atmosphere and tension but it felt like all of the 'clues' were handed to the reader on a platter.
That said, Rose was crazy relatable at points, I didn’t guess the main twist and I was clearly intrigued enough to finish the book, so credit where credit's due.
A really good overview of the cult given the short duration of the audiobook (1hr 57m).
It helped me to decide whether to read a full-length book on the cult. I probably will.
Concisely written and well narrated.
It helped me to decide whether to read a full-length book on the cult. I probably will.
Concisely written and well narrated.
This is my favourite DCI Ryan book so far. It was the first book since the apprehension of the religious circle that spanned books 1-3. I've really been looking forward to what the books would look like once that plot was done and I wasn't disappointed.
The main plot was brilliant! The team up with MacKenzie and Lowerson was great. Their dynamic is one of my favourites. On par with Ryan and Phillips. I enjoyed getting more involvement from Ryan's boss, Chief Constable Morrison. She grounds the investigation, bringing the politics, budgeting and other constraints in that keep the investigation feeling realistic. There was less of Ryan and Anna, which I appreciated. Their relationship still feels a bit rushed for me, but as the books go on, they feel a little easier to believe. The ending was fab and made me pick book 5 straight up.
Since this is a mystery series, I don't feel too disheartened when I can figure elements of the plot out before they happen. This series is such a cosy series and I'm just here for the ride.
Onto High Force...
The main plot was brilliant! The team up with MacKenzie and Lowerson was great. Their dynamic is one of my favourites. On par with Ryan and Phillips. I enjoyed getting more involvement from Ryan's boss, Chief Constable Morrison. She grounds the investigation, bringing the politics, budgeting and other constraints in that keep the investigation feeling realistic. There was less of Ryan and Anna, which I appreciated. Their relationship still feels a bit rushed for me, but as the books go on, they feel a little easier to believe. The ending was fab and made me pick book 5 straight up.
Since this is a mystery series, I don't feel too disheartened when I can figure elements of the plot out before they happen. This series is such a cosy series and I'm just here for the ride.
Onto High Force...
Killer plants. Yes! I enjoyed this aspect the most. Reading any dystopian book after COVID is interesting because seeing how humanity behaved during the pandemic, it's difficult to deny any fictional suggestions about how people would behave. I would personally have liked more on the triffids - they were absolutely fascinating.
Until about the halfway point, I was fairly gripped but as this book was written in the 1950s, it wasn't going to be long before an expected issue reared its head (see spoiler below). There is a scene where the leader of a group is saying that people are only welcome to join if the men are willing to work and the women are willing to bear children. It's possible that the author is simply writing in a style typical for the time period, but annoying nevertheless.
Until about the halfway point, I was fairly gripped but as this book was written in the 1950s, it wasn't going to be long before an expected issue reared its head (see spoiler below).
The books takes a bit of a dip around the halfway point.
This reminds me of a season 2 episode of Charmed.
making boys from bunnies
This reminds me of a season 2 episode of Charmed.
I liked the concept a lot. However, the short story was too short to do the plot justice. It was difficult to decipher who was who in places, which took me out of the story a lot.