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thecaffeinatedreader's Reviews (685)
dark
tense
https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2019/05/22/black-water-arc-review/
First off, thank you to BW Publishing for sending me a copy to read, I’ve been in a thriller mood the past couple of months so this fit right into my ‘mood.’ I’m giving an honest review in exchange for this gifted copy!
I would say comparing it to ‘The Wire set in Dublin’ was a really accurate comparison and if you love shows like ‘Law and Order’ or movies like ‘The Departed’ then you’ll probably really enjoy reading this, I know I did!
The pacing was great the whole way through, nothing was stretched out too long and the chapters were kept short and concise as to allow O’Keeffe to give us the whole picture of what was going on. You get the inside of Gangland feel, a great look at the Garda and those whose lives are affected by the gang violence, whether by contributing to it or being witnesses of information.
I wasn’t always a fan when the chapters might change part-way in, to another character’s situation but I thought it was done well enough that it didn’t end up bothering me and I got used to it but fair warning it could feel a bit jumpy if you’re not used to that.
The last 100 pages were just hard to put down, I needed to know what was going to happen, I felt like the clock was ticking and I was on the edge of my seat! Who was going to make it, who wasn’t, it was just making me push forward to know all the answers about the endgame.
First off, thank you to BW Publishing for sending me a copy to read, I’ve been in a thriller mood the past couple of months so this fit right into my ‘mood.’ I’m giving an honest review in exchange for this gifted copy!
I would say comparing it to ‘The Wire set in Dublin’ was a really accurate comparison and if you love shows like ‘Law and Order’ or movies like ‘The Departed’ then you’ll probably really enjoy reading this, I know I did!
The pacing was great the whole way through, nothing was stretched out too long and the chapters were kept short and concise as to allow O’Keeffe to give us the whole picture of what was going on. You get the inside of Gangland feel, a great look at the Garda and those whose lives are affected by the gang violence, whether by contributing to it or being witnesses of information.
I wasn’t always a fan when the chapters might change part-way in, to another character’s situation but I thought it was done well enough that it didn’t end up bothering me and I got used to it but fair warning it could feel a bit jumpy if you’re not used to that.
The last 100 pages were just hard to put down, I needed to know what was going to happen, I felt like the clock was ticking and I was on the edge of my seat! Who was going to make it, who wasn’t, it was just making me push forward to know all the answers about the endgame.
dark
tense
https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2019...
As you all know by now, I’m a sucker for mystery books! I was happy enough to grab up the opportunity to read this and be part of its blog tour. It’s a fun read, Robert Crouch likes to tease you with the mystery while also integrating Kent’s own whirlwind of a personal life. I hadn’t read the other books in this series and wasn’t really too thrown off by that fact so it can definitely be read as a standalone! I like that Kent Fisher isn’t a private eye but just a man who enjoys unravelling a mystery. Not to mention you have to find some humor in the situations he gets himself into. I would say it was definitely a quick read as well so it’s the perfect book to grab up and read in your spare time. This book is more about Kent himself than the actual mystery but everything does tie in and I like how Crouch wove that all together! [Also I think Ashley was terrifying lol]
Knowing how Crouch’s style is now, I will certainly pick up the others to read, I feel like I’m missing out now.
Not to mention…No spoilers but that ending was such a surprise! I loved it and it definitely hooked me into wanting to read the next book. So when does it come out?
This was definitely a new experience for me, I love Sherlock Holmes but hadn’t read anything outside of Doyle and I was not disappointed! This combined the talents of not just some amazing writers but some amazing artists as well. I loved that each short story was accompanied by an art piece and I’m not sure that I could have picked a favorite one. The artists really worked well to represent the story offered by the authors and it’s evident that they were all great matches for each other.
It was actually hard to remember sometimes that these were different authors, they all kept true to Doyle in one way or another and they all flowed together so well that you just got lost in the world of Holmes and Watson. They don’t get too flashy with Sherlock solving the crimes and it all seems plausible with how he figures things out, nothing is too big for the short story structure.
Speaking of Holmes and Watson, there was plenty of our favorite duo but there was even a Moriarty story! That was a pretty fun one to read but I have to say my favorite story was the The Adventure of the Paradol Chamber by Paul W. Nash.
First off I would like to thank the Author, John M. Taylor for sending me a copy of his book to read and review, this was done so with the intent that I would give an honest review in exchange. And that's what you all will find here, my honest review!
I will say I was intrigued from the description of the book alone and historical fiction especially one based on true stories. Taylor did seven years of research for this and the child migrant stories deeply resonated, the horrible truths of history are at the heart of this novel.
Taylor really sets you up for a story that takes you on quite an emotional ride. It's a story that shoes not only what people did to the natives of Australia but to their own children and how one boy's journey to figure out his history leads him through the lives of others. As said before, Taylor really did his research for this novel and not just with the darker parts of history but he made sure to do justice when writing about Aboriginal villages and ways of life and he never presumes to know more than he does about the culture or to write about things that are too culturally sensitive which is a great relief in this day and age.
The story is really well paced and extremely well written, I mean I barely wanted to put this book down the whole time. I needed to read more about Australia or Robert or find out what was going to happen in the Outback. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or even just looking for a book to really tug on the heartstrings.
If you have ever read The Thorn Birds this book spans the same sort of saga/epic story the only difference being this is the story and saga of one boy versus a family though he is not alone, and his journey will bring the story of others as he travels. Robert is on one quest, and that is to find his Mother.
I will say I was intrigued from the description of the book alone and historical fiction especially one based on true stories. Taylor did seven years of research for this and the child migrant stories deeply resonated, the horrible truths of history are at the heart of this novel.
Taylor really sets you up for a story that takes you on quite an emotional ride. It's a story that shoes not only what people did to the natives of Australia but to their own children and how one boy's journey to figure out his history leads him through the lives of others. As said before, Taylor really did his research for this novel and not just with the darker parts of history but he made sure to do justice when writing about Aboriginal villages and ways of life and he never presumes to know more than he does about the culture or to write about things that are too culturally sensitive which is a great relief in this day and age.
The story is really well paced and extremely well written, I mean I barely wanted to put this book down the whole time. I needed to read more about Australia or Robert or find out what was going to happen in the Outback. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or even just looking for a book to really tug on the heartstrings.
If you have ever read The Thorn Birds this book spans the same sort of saga/epic story the only difference being this is the story and saga of one boy versus a family though he is not alone, and his journey will bring the story of others as he travels. Robert is on one quest, and that is to find his Mother.
Needless to say I loved it as much as the first book and I cannot wait for book 3!!!!
Droknina picks up where Ghondatha left off and it’s great, if you have the ability to just go from one to two, I would. The books aren’t very long and Ayres packs so much into these books and she paces them brilliantly. Her world building set the stage in book one and now she can focus on giving us more about the vampires, their plots, and their humans.
Ayres just enhances everything I loved in Ghondatha and this book was probably one of my favorite May reads so far.
Saphrona is still strong, but she is is no longer arming her heart to the teeth.
Gideon is the same little cinnamon roll, but we get to see more of his kind ways and the depth of his feelings for Saphrona.
We also get to see more of his ten (think of it as his royal council) and more of Bradley and Sheena which is great.
The story Ayres is weaving for us is intricate and layered, this is about the past and present, with a hope for the future.
I particularly enjoyed the Ferals in this book, and Saphrona’s kindness really just captured my whole admiration.
Sheena’s storyline is probably my favorite, but, I won’t say more, #nospoilers.
Antonia is badder than ever, and pushing her powers to the limit while all the while keeping her goal, Gideon, in mind.
Gideon and his followers want nothing more than to reclaim their humanity, to feel their hearts again but Antonia is pulling out all the stops to make sure Gideon is restored to his former ‘glory’ and under her influence once more.
The stakes are high and this is building up to be what I feel will be an intense third book and I can’t wait.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Droknina picks up where Ghondatha left off and it’s great, if you have the ability to just go from one to two, I would. The books aren’t very long and Ayres packs so much into these books and she paces them brilliantly. Her world building set the stage in book one and now she can focus on giving us more about the vampires, their plots, and their humans.
Ayres just enhances everything I loved in Ghondatha and this book was probably one of my favorite May reads so far.
Saphrona is still strong, but she is is no longer arming her heart to the teeth.
Gideon is the same little cinnamon roll, but we get to see more of his kind ways and the depth of his feelings for Saphrona.
We also get to see more of his ten (think of it as his royal council) and more of Bradley and Sheena which is great.
The story Ayres is weaving for us is intricate and layered, this is about the past and present, with a hope for the future.
I particularly enjoyed the Ferals in this book, and Saphrona’s kindness really just captured my whole admiration.
Sheena’s storyline is probably my favorite, but, I won’t say more, #nospoilers.
Antonia is badder than ever, and pushing her powers to the limit while all the while keeping her goal, Gideon, in mind.
Gideon and his followers want nothing more than to reclaim their humanity, to feel their hearts again but Antonia is pulling out all the stops to make sure Gideon is restored to his former ‘glory’ and under her influence once more.
The stakes are high and this is building up to be what I feel will be an intense third book and I can’t wait.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Lily's 11th birthday was supposed to be one filled with the magic turning 11, after all Nell, Pa, and sister Anna told her it was a magical age to be. Instead she witnesses her father and mother shot along with the swans her family loved so much. Her sister too far to witness the shooting or Lily trying to save the swans and no one believes her when she says she saw who shot them.
Using a bit of mysticism in the form of swans and a bit of spirituality, Marsenich brings to the table a rather beautiful coming of age tale. The story makes you feel as if you're there breathing the air with Lily, soaking in Montana and the beauty of the trumpeter swans. I really enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would after reading the first chapter.
Thank you to Open Books for a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Using a bit of mysticism in the form of swans and a bit of spirituality, Marsenich brings to the table a rather beautiful coming of age tale. The story makes you feel as if you're there breathing the air with Lily, soaking in Montana and the beauty of the trumpeter swans. I really enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would after reading the first chapter.
Thank you to Open Books for a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was definitely a five star read, I read about half of it out loud with my daughter, and we'll continue to read it but I had to steam on ahead to finish for the review. She's patiently waiting to find out just exactly was the Denver Dognapper! Truthfully Shauna gave us a great diverse cast of characters, not just in a beautiful blend of different backgrounds but each character stood on their own. Kazu Jones is our spunky fifth-grade detective with her dog Genki and her best friend March who is a meticulous academic and lover of technology to Madeleine Brown who Kazu has never gotten along with and Cindyrae who along with her love of musicals, loves her dog Lobster just as much.
The kids have taken over, in a thread of The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew comes Kazuko Jones, written with an ease and a way that will entice children to pick it up and not put it down. Now there are actions that the children take, and much like Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys, it's not an action a parent would like their kids to make in real life, but this is written for a child's enjoyment and even I loved it Kazu makes some decisions and they may not be good ones but the author has Kazu grow during the book and her actions have consequences but you can't keep a natural detective down for long. There is something just really promising about Kazuko Jones and the adventures that could lay in store for her past the case of the Denver Dognappers. I would say that this is a series to keep an eye out for because I feel this and a couple of others I have spotted lately are really going to be at the forefront of pushing the mystery genre into the modern-day for children.
Honestly, I could gush on and on about this but at the end of the day this was a new favorite for my daughter and I and we hope to read more about Kazuko, her group of friends, and her Sleuth Chronicle adventures.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review
Hallow is book 2 in the Celestial Creatures quartet. Ariel is a teen burdened with being part of a world that until recently she knew nothing about. While grappling with her humanity, she’s having to deal with Archangels and a battle that could shake the world. When faced with her options, Ariel goes back to earth, wanting know part of a battle for a world she barely knows but the one thing that she wanted to protect on earth seems to be continually just out of her reach.
I’ll be including my review for Heavenward at the end too so you can glance at it if you want. The first book was great, a fun read, and one that I read in one sitting because I just wanted to keep turning the page to find out what happened next! Now this same energy was in Hallow and I also read this one in one setting. Although Heavenward was a fun read I just want to say that the growth between it and Hallow is impressive to say the least. Gibbs gives us such a beautiful prose in Hallow and we get to really enjoy Ariel as we already know her backstory. While Hallow has a returning cast, we also are starting to get a real sense of just what poor Ariel has been thrown into.
Even with an Angel protector, Rafe, Ariel is still struggling and it’s more than just accepting what she is, it’s accepting who she is and that’s something she has to try and handle all on her own, not even Rafe can help her in that.
Fleeing to Earth cannot save Ariel or those she cares for and she’s faced with a lot of hard choices, and that’s not to say she hasn’t been through the runner already! The message is clear though, Ariel cannot runaway and we’re left wondering with what her next move will be.
Just as in Heavenward, Gibbs is making us wait until the next book and has me waiting on pins and needles. There are some nice twists and unexpected turns, and I love that Ariel is such a believable teenager. People can forget as they grow older that being a teen is not easy and more than that some teens have problems that others will never even have to deal with as adults.
I have no regrets in saying that Sam is a favorite character of mine in the series, and to point out that this really is a darker fantasy for YA. Thank you to the author and blog tour organizer for a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Content/Trigger Warnings: Suicidal thoughts, suicide ideation theme (briefly, in chapter 2).
Geneva's dedication to her writing is great and I love that this turn into a grand love story, her focus is writing about dancing. She holds fast to her opinion even when others disagree and I think that the ending of the story was perfect for her considering the bond she has with her Aunt. Baer mixes in tidbits of historical ballet facts with a novella that focuses on two ballet dancers in particular. Nureyev and Makarova.
The MC is the journalist who captures the feeling of the dancers on stage, watching the progress of the two dancers throughout their careers. At the beginning of each chapter Baer gives us a snippet of performance and though it doesn't seem to add to the story itself as far as plot I feel it helps set the stage each time and those little snippets were my favorite part!
This is novella and not a fully fleshed-out book, so that expectation could be kept in mind before diving in. It can easily be read in one or two sittings and if you enjoy ballet history I would recommend this.
Thank you to Open Books for a chance to read a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
The MC is the journalist who captures the feeling of the dancers on stage, watching the progress of the two dancers throughout their careers. At the beginning of each chapter Baer gives us a snippet of performance and though it doesn't seem to add to the story itself as far as plot I feel it helps set the stage each time and those little snippets were my favorite part!
This is novella and not a fully fleshed-out book, so that expectation could be kept in mind before diving in. It can easily be read in one or two sittings and if you enjoy ballet history I would recommend this.
Thank you to Open Books for a chance to read a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
First off I really enjoyed this book. I thought the pacing was great and that the ideas were fun! Gibbs really knows how to capture her target audience and I swear, 15 years old me would be eating this book up in an hour and demanding more, and thankfully there is more! I received a digital copy for this as I'm doing the blog tour for the second book Hallow, and I'm so glad I got a chance to read this and that I have the next book ready because that's quite the ending! The book has you holding your breath at times and you just want to know more. I think my reason for not giving this four stars would only because I would have wanted Gibbs to do just as I stated, you just want to know more. The pacing may have been a bit too fast, but, I can't argue that that is just personal opinion and you can bet this is not a 'con' but a pro for some so if you want something quick paced, this is definitely your book!
Ariel is relatable enough and well, who doesn't swoon over Sam?
I do need to know more about Tabby most of all though.
Anyway, I can't wait to read the next one! I just have another book to get through and then I'm diving back into Gibbs Celestial Creatures and plan on enjoying every moment of it!
Content warning: Mention of rape/sexual assault while being held against will entirely. Also, mental health is a delicate subject.
Thank you to the Author and Blog Tour Organizer for a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Ariel is relatable enough and well, who doesn't swoon over Sam?
I do need to know more about Tabby most of all though.
Anyway, I can't wait to read the next one! I just have another book to get through and then I'm diving back into Gibbs Celestial Creatures and plan on enjoying every moment of it!
Content warning: Mention of rape/sexual assault while being held against will entirely. Also, mental health is a delicate subject.
Thank you to the Author and Blog Tour Organizer for a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.