Having read a few of this author’s books, and finding some
to be better than others, I had a little bit of trepidation when approaching The
Bowery Slugger. Turn of the last century America is one of my favorite
periods in history, and I am always wary of accuracy in historical novels.
I am happy to report that Mr. Borstinski does an admirable job of creating the atmosphere of the NYC Bowery in the early 1900s. This gritty look at the immigrant experience should not be missed.
I was drawn into the story almost immediately, as I thought the
immigrant experience and the tenements of the Bowery were especially well-described.
The whole story had a “Gangs of New York” feel to it, and it kept me turning
pages. Some people may find the brutality to be a bit much, but it is
definitely realistic to the time and place of the story.
I particularly liked the balance that Alex tried to achieve.
Even as he was working his way up in the organization, and brutally so, he
still had a bit of his “Old World” self that he tried to embrace as he became
more interested in his neighbor, Rebecca.
I also found the author’s treatment of the rise of unions,
exploitation of immigrants, and the corruption of Tammany Hall to be well-done.
I appreciated the way that he wove historical facts into his narrative. His research
for this novel is admirable.
This was by far the best of his books that I have read, and I look forward to the next installment in the Alex Cohen series, out in the spring of 2020 (hopefully!)
I was pleased to see another DI Graves book released so soon after the first one. I very much enjoyed The Demons Beneathand looked forward to jumping back into the plot, assumedly where it had left off.
I was a little bit surprised to find that wasn’t the case. Instead,
the author starts with a fascinatingly gruesome murder, followed in quick
succession by Detective Inspector Graves and Palmer arriving at the scene. As
one character puts it (and I’m paraphrasing here), if they are on the case, you
know there is more to it.
As this is another cracking crime thriller, I’m not going to
give any spoilers. Suffice to say that the murders and the common thread that
ties them together are well-written and creepy, and answer the question of “what
happens when a psychopath and a sociopath work together?” These scenes are very
well-described, so it is easy for the reader to see why Graves has such a problem
with crime scenes. (He reminds me of Doc Martin, the doctor who gets queasy at
the sight of blood).
I loved that this aspect of his character got more attention
in the story – the brutality of the murders lent itself easily to exploring
Graves’ issues. I also liked how we got more back story as to why he is the way
he is.
I think that this is a strength of the author; all of the
characters are very natural. They have quirks and personal baggage that sometimes
help/hinder their investigations. They do not exist in a vacuum solely to solve
crime; they are real people.
I also liked that several departments contributed to the
investigation. From the Medical Examiner to the profiler and even the rank and
file, everyone came up with a piece of the puzzle to solve the crime. As a
person who is very familiar with law enforcement, I appreciated the attention
to detail and recognition that the littlest bit of information can truly crack
a case.
I did wish for a little bit more of Jenny’s story, but it is
quite apparent that this is going to be a cat and mouse thread that weaves through
future installments of the series. The melding of two different plot threads
left quite the cliffhanger and made me eager for the next book.
I don’t get emotional when I read books. I may hate/love/enjoy
characters and their interactions, but I rarely have a deep connection that makes
me feel more than what the story demands.
That is most definitively NOT the case with The Wish List of Albie Young. I felt this book deeply in so many ways I have a hard time knowing where to start. It has vaulted to the top of my best reads of the year.
From the beginning, it was thoroughly unique that the reader
never actually meets the main character, the man who was the catalyst for the
entire story. We only learn about Albie through the eyes of Maria, a woman who
got to know him through weekly meetings at a local café.
Maria is one of the most “real” characters I have ever had
the pleasure of reading. Watching her move through the stages of grief was
touching and emotional. I could visualize exactly what was happening to her and
empathized with how she tried to cope with her new reality. It wasn’t always
easy, but she drew strength when she needed to, and she did so with the help of
Albie.
Her heartache (that preceded the loss of Albie) had caused
her to withdraw from living until she became a shell of a person. She eventually
realized that he was an amazing man, and if he thought she was special, then
maybe it was time she gave herself a chance to live.
It is so true that sometimes the dead need to show us how to continue living. And this was the heart of the book for me. By continuing Albie’s wish list, Maria finds a new lease on life, learning that it is never too late to start living. Her blossoming brought tears to my eyes, which continued through the rest of the book.
I also had a feeling about one aspect of the plot (no
spoilers), but that didn’t stop me from absolutely bawling like a baby when I
read the section confirming it.
Honestly, even though there was sadness at missed
opportunities, the hopefulness that Maria had by the end of her story
absolutely leaped off the page at me. I wanted to spend more time with her to
see her continue her journey.
This is a story that has everything, and it should not be missed. As we head into the holiday season, it is an excellent reminder of how simply we can have an impact on others and to be thankful for those interactions that improve our lives – if we just remember to look for and recognize them.
Author Bio
Ruby Hummingbird is a novelist based in the English countryside. She loves nothing more than writing uplifting and heartwarming fiction that gets her readers reaching for the tissues. When she isn’t storytelling, she can be found tending to her beloved sunflowers or sipping on hazelnut lattes. The Wish List of Albie Young is her debut novel, and it promises to be a real heartbreaker.
I have read a lot of erotica and books that claim to be erotica. Some are tantalizing and keep things subtle until a big moment when everything becomes overt. Others are more “in your face” from the beginning. Both types have their place within the genre and can be significant in their rights.
The one thing that makes an erotic novel really work, however, is a plot that provides a reason for all of the sex the characters have. That, unfortunately, is where this novel seems to be lacking.
There was a decent set-up, as the wedding that led off the
story was the perfect situation to explore several different relationships and experiences.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of characters that were introduced in short order
and with very little detail, so it was difficult to get a full grasp of
relationships right from the beginning.
While the scenes moved quickly from one to another, I had a
difficult time keeping the thread of the plot as it seemed rather thin. Joe has
a devil-may-care attitude towards life, which Abbie appears to be fascinated with,
but events take some odd turns, and everything gets out of control.
This is the best that I can describe the plot because while
there were times that the characters reacted realistically, there were others
where it seemed like events were just in the story to move from one sex scene
to another.
Joe, as the catalyst, was an unlikeable character, as he did
not seem to have any compass or direction other than moving from one pleasurable
experience to another. I will give the author points for creativity because Joe
certainly experienced the gamut of sexual choices.
The author had a high command of the language, and her word
choices were different from many other erotic novels. This kept the reading
interesting, at least because it did not devolve into the more familiar gutter language
of other erotic books.
Honestly, I’m not quite sure what to think of this one. There were hints of a really good erotic story, but the cohesiveness left something to be desired. So, if you’re looking for a lot of well-described, quickie scenes, you should give this one a try. But if you prefer a plot with erotic scenes interspersed, you would be best to look elsewhere.
I’ve often distinguished thrillers as either moving fast with lots of twists or slower with a more ominous build to the reveal. My Mother’s Silence belongs in the latter category.
Skye is returning home after leaving 15 years prior, shortly
after her twin sister died and she was in a horrible car accident. She
grudgingly agrees to return only because her brother tells her that her mom has
taken a fall and is asking for her. There are family secrets, town secrets, and
a whole lot of messed up for her to deal with.
Her memories surrounding the accident are missing, but as she speaks with old friends, she starts having flashes that she comes to realize are memories resurfacing. This is when the story really takes off because everything that she thought comes into question, which in turn leaves the reader wondering what the real story is.
I particularly liked the Celtic themes and perspective of the townspeople. I thought the author did a very good job of illustrating how small towns work, where everyone has a connection and they stand up for their own. I also wish I could hear some of Skye’s songs because they sounded beautiful in my mind 😊
There were a few parts that seemed like a little bit of a reach, but only because they didn’t seem to be as detailed as others. Skye’s mother’s state of mind is something that I found particularly fascinating, as her lucidity appeared to be directly linked to the facts of the past. I know that sounds a little cagey, but I don’t want to give anything away.
I do wish that we could have had more of Ginny’s diary entries because I thought they were interesting and gave a new dimension to the events of the past. I think a few more of those placed at strategic points in the plot could have added to the questions that Skye was trying to answer.
All in all, this was a solid story and I would definitely recommend it.
As psychological thrillers go, this belongs in the slow-build/reveal category. It is not particularly chilling as much as it is a story of family secrets and the consequences surrounding them. I liked the setting and thought the author did a great job of creating the small-town atmosphere. I also thought that Skye’s personality was very balanced and crucial for how she approached each new piece of information as she tried to piece her memories back together. This was a quick and intriguing read, and I would recommend it. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of the book.
Lauren Westwood writes dark and romantic women’s fiction and is also an award-winning children’s writer. Originally from California, she now lives in England in a persnickety old house built in 1602, with her partner and three daughters.
Lauren hopes you enjoy her latest book, My Mother’s Silence, which is a dark, emotional journey about homecoming and family secrets. Your opinions are important to her, so please do leave a review.
This is a compelling novel that carefully examines the triumph of the human spirit among the horrors of a WWII concentration camp.
From the prologue, the reader can guess at specific outcomes
of events in the book. However, the journey the characters embark upon is both
informative and heart-wrenching.
I thought that the author did an excellent job of describing
the conditions at Auschwitz while illustrating the evil of the Nazis and the
people who worked with them. The desperation to stay alive at any cost was
apparent in both the prisoners and some of the workers.
The plot continued through Eva’s time at Auschwitz, even as
there were flashbacks to the beginning of her relationship with Michal and the
pending Anschluss. Sofie also had some flashback moments, as her story intertwined
and eventually meshed with Eva’s. The author handled the importance and preciousness
of memories very well through these flashbacks and emphasized it with Eva’s
realization that personal photos should be saved.
I did think that the title did not do the story justice. Yes,
a child born in a literal hell on earth is compelling, but I thought Eva’s
story was so much more than that. Although, in thinking about it a little more,
I suppose that Eva could also be considered the child of Auschwitz because she
essentially went to Auschwitz willingly so she could find her husband, Michal.
She was very naïve and full of hope when she arrived, to the point where the ladies made fun of her idyllic point of view. Through all of the events and illnesses that Eva faced, she grew to understand the direness of the situation but always held on to a sliver of hope – which probably helped keep her alive. The Child of Auschwitz is an excellent book that should be read carefully for understanding if only to recognize the insidiousness of the Nazis and the horrors they brought to the world.
Author Bio
Lily Graham grew up in South Africa, and is a former journalist. She lives now in the Suffolk coast with her husband and English bulldog, Fudge.
She is the author of six novels, published by Bookouture, including the bestselling, The Paris Secret and The Island Villa.
Her latest novel The Child of Auschwitz will be out in 2019.
I have very mixed feelings about this book, mainly because it
seems as if the author had a difficult time deciding what to focus on in the
book.
On the one hand, it was a fascinating look at alternative lifestyles for adults, a topic that does not get enough honest attention. What two consenting adults do in their private life is really nobody else’s business, regardless of age or gender.
I found this first part of the story to be extremely
interesting because I thought the author’s exploration of a married couple’s shared
interest outside the marriage is not a usual catalyst in a novel. The actions
and reactions of Jessica and Jake were honest and realistic.
When Jessica crosses a few lines, however, I felt that the
plot sort of lost its way. It wasn’t so much her crossing them because that
seemed like a natural progression in the relationships they had. It was that
the character who was the catalyst for the “line-crossing” did not have enough
depth to him.
Everything else to that point was carefully described and
detailed. Then this guy pops up primarily (it seemed) to cause problems. I
thought this whole interlude did not ring true and was thrown in to make it “interesting.”
All it did for me, however, was to take focus away from the couple’s growth and
dealing with issues.
That’s not to say that the conflict shouldn’t have happened.
I liked how Jessica was able to use her experience to help another character,
so I think that something should have happened – I just think it could have
been done differently. I also felt that it was resolved way too easily,
considering the trouble that it caused, and everything wrapped up rather
quickly at the end, not to mention there were a few characters that were just
sort of left hanging.
My other issue is in the author’s notes; she mentions that
she wrote the book to be able to address “toxic masculinity…and rape culture.”
I did not get that from ANY of this book and could not even begin to see where that
would have had any place in the story.
I would still recommend this book. I just wish
it had been a little bit more streamlined.
I am not a huge fan of angst. I think there is enough of it in real life that I don’t seek it out in books that I choose to read. There is currently only one author who I make an exception for, as I am never disappointed at the depth of her characters.
It’s FREE in KU – what are you waiting for?!?!?
Landon and Shay, Part One is another of Brittainy C.
Cherry’s studies of a relationship fraught with trouble, with seemingly insurmountable
odds against the success of the couple. I could tell from the beginning that the
animosity between Landon and Shay was mainly due to how much they actually had
in common, even though they were not aware of that fact at first. Or, they might
have been aware of their similarities subconsciously, which is what caused each
of them to “hate” the other.
This is the strength of the author’s writing. She creates
complex characters who are realistic. They have substance and personality and are
intriguing enough to make the reader want to know more about them, to grow along
with them. I particularly loved how she used Shay’s character, and her
propensity for personality analysis, to dig deeper into the character’s
psyches. That was brilliant and extremely well-done.
I know it seems as if I am speaking in riddles, but I think
that one of the best things about her books is the journey that the reader
undertakes right along with the characters. I can’t describe a plot point
without giving away where the characters are at that time, which would, in turn,
give away the beautiful arc of the plot.
And that would ruin the whole story.
Oh, and there is a twist that I absolutely did not see
coming; it left me stunned, causing me to read more carefully to see what I may
have missed.
Honestly, if you have read any of her books, you know what I am talking about. And if you haven’t read any of her books, why the heck not? As I said at the beginning, I am not a huge fan of angst, but her books leave me reeling and wanting more. “Epic love story” is a phrase that is often over-used, but it certainly applies to this story. I will be eagerly awaiting Part Two to finish the journey with Landon and Shay.
Wrecked and gutted. That’s how this book left m, but in the best ways possible. The author’s ability to capture every minute detail of a relationship and make the reader feel like they are experiencing it themselves is unmatched. I have virtually nothing in common with these characters, but I felt so deeply for them it was amazing. My only complaint about this book is that we have to wait for part two! For a complete review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. This review was written based on a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of the book.
I have read a couple of this author’s books before and am often
left wanting (The Girl from the Sea comes to mind). But I think she does
a decent job of throwing red herrings into her plots, so I keep coming back for
more. I am happy to say that I believe The Other Daughter is one of her
best books yet.
The action takes place in the present time with a few “Then”
flashback chapters interspersed. Everything is seamless, though, so it never
feels like too much of a jolt to shift time frames. The chapters detailing past
events add much to the current developments and even allow the reader to
question what is happening in the present. I love it when an author can craft a
plot in that manner.
The characters are realistic. I can see each of them being a
real person, and all of their reactions appear to be genuine. That being said,
however, I do think that the “big reveal” (while a shocker) seems a little
far-fetched – but I am willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt that
extensive research was completed to portray the character’s actions and
reactions accurately. Regardless, it made for a real “WTH” moment and kept me
engrossed in the story to the end.
If I had to pick on anything, I would say that things were
tied up and explained a little too neatly. I did like the twists that the
author threw in that propelled Rachel’s actions while making me question Rachel’s
stability. That was a delicate balancing act. However, there was an answer for
everything, and a little bit of messiness might have added to the realness of
the story.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who would enjoy a quick psych thriller.
This psychological thriller was a quick read that had me questioning the characters’ motives right up until the last page. I thought that the author did a good job of laying the groundwork for the reader to believe one thing while crafting a sub-story that was equally plausible. There were more than a few “Oh, no way” moments, and the big reveal did surprise me (that’s hard to do). For a more detailed review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of this book.
Shalini Boland is the million-copy, USA-Today bestselling author of eight psychological thrillers: ‘THE GIRL FROM THE SEA’, ‘THE BEST FRIEND’, ‘THE MILLIONAIRE’S WIFE’ (optioned for TV by Legendary Studios), ‘THE SECRET MOTHER’, ‘THE CHILD NEXT DOOR’, ‘THE SILENT SISTER’, ‘THE PERFECT FAMILY’ and ‘THE MARRIAGE BETRAYAL’.
THE OTHER DAUGHTER comes out Nov 5th and is now available to preorder!
Her titles are published by Bookouture, Grand Central (USA) and Tantor.
Shalini lives by the sea in Dorset, England with her husband, two children and their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing psychological thrillers (in between school runs and sorting endless baskets of laundry).
I will be blunt right from the start; this was not the type of psychological thriller I am used to reading. It ended up being quite engaging, but there were a few things that made it rough going in the start for me.
The first few chapters were told almost all in narrative,
with Kat “remembering” events of the past. After finishing the book, I can see
why the author chose to write it that way, but it took some getting used to in
the beginning. I kept wanting the author to show me the action in a flashback
instead of just telling me about it. Being inside a character’s head for that
long became tedious.
(Of course, flashbacks are a much-used device, while effectively
conveying someone’s thoughts can be more difficult, so I recognize the writing skill
in this manner).
I also had a hard time connecting to Kat. She came across as
a helicopter parent who over-reacted at everything, and frankly, she got on my
nerves. Of course, there are revelations along the way that explain her behaviors,
but that didn’t help me latch onto her to feel her concern through the first
part of the story.
Fortunately, the interaction between characters picked up roughly half-way through, and the author did a great job throwing some twists into the plot, as well as allowing the reader to question the motives of particular characters, just as Kat was doing the same. There were more than a few “I did not see that coming” moments, especially in the latter part of the book, which made the second half a much more exciting read than the first half.
One other thing I must mention, and this has unfortunately become a common occurrence lately, there was yet another unnecessary barb at the current American president. I have mentioned it before, and I will call it out every time. If it doesn’t have a place in the plot, it doesn’t belong. It takes a reader right out of the story, and it garners the author no favor with many readers. I wish they would stop doing it.
Author Bio
Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.
USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written fifteen novels – many involving cake – which have been translated into several languages and involved tough ‘cake research.’ Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR and THE EMPTY NEST. Writing in this new genre doesn’t involve the deep research of baked goods and Sue’s hoping the change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.
Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where much of her day is spent procrastinating, eating and watching ‘My 600lb Life,’ on the sofa.
