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Friday, October 31, 2014

Review: Brilliance


Brilliance
Brilliance by Marcus Sakey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Amazon-Prime-Lending (one book per month, this is for September 2014), so did not buy it. Read other books which interested me more, in between so I did not finish it in September and had to struggle to finish it on the last day (Halloween, October 31st).
While the book is straight forward, it reminds me of a John Brunner Novel like Stand On Zanzibar or The Shockwave Rider or a film by Paul Verhoeven like Robocop or Totall Recall. Like these books&films there are short fake news and short ads for fake books. But unlike Brunner, there is only one story, and with only few twists, the main one I guessed early on - what would happen to the hero and John Smith, so I do not count that as a spoiler, I will not go into details.
Around the time after 60% (train-platform / meeting Shannon) the search for John Smith began and the book started to drag for me, I had trouble to get over that point, guessing how it might play out, not in detail - that was nicely done and very well written, saved this book getting 3.5 rounded to 3 stars. In some places it gets 4.5 stars, but as a whole and for being predictable (nearly from the beginning) 4 stars it is.
Recommended to fans of a believable alternative future, where in the past 9/11 has not happened, instead, part of population was gifted.
I will certainly read at some point the next book in the series (probably all, but the third is not published yet).



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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Review: Stolen


Stolen
Stolen by Allison Brennan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Not enough Twists for a 5 star, but still good, 4.5, rounded to 4 stars.
For me, with not too much romance, a short non-kinky sex-scene and the story about hacking and b&e in highly secured buildings, just my kind of story. Could even had more detailed descriptions of the tech, but ok.
In the end not enough surprises and twists to warrant 5 stars, still, highly recommended and I think so far the best one in the series.



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Review: Reckless


Reckless
Reckless by Allison Brennan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Reading the beginning of Stolen, the next real book in the Lucy Kinkaid-Series, I thought I missed some storyline.
Through Fictfact.com (strong suggestion to all readers of Series register there for the easy following of Series) I found out, that I missed a Novella.
Usually I am reluctant to buy that, if it is too pricey - and this one was over my self-set-barrier of 1 Eur, but I caved and bought it nonetheless.
Just a strong suggestion: Novellas should be a cheap teaser and cost 0.89 Eur or just 1 Us$ - or be entirely free.
Or there should be a collection if a series is closed of all short stories and novellas - but also cheap.

Highly recommended before reading stolen, nice short read, before reading Stolen, the next full book in the series, I think it helps with some background but is not essential.



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Sunday, October 26, 2014

Review: Stalked


Stalked
Stalked by Allison Brennan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



As usual a fast read, true page-turner.
A little romance, but not too much, one side-story-romance was a bit much for me, but it is not clear, how it will play out in the next books (Suzanne/Joe). One short non-kinky (read boring) sex-scene.
The books is up-to-date with tech like surveillance and computers, does not go too much into details but never feels invented or over-top.
No real twists.
Still, I like the style, and recommend it to fans of the series and the writer. Should finish other books first, but just felt like reading this first.
And instantly bough her next book (Stolen) and started it.




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Friday, October 24, 2014

Review: Ghost Country


Ghost Country
Ghost Country by Patrick Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Lots of action, but also in between a few things to think about.
Not much to add, read my review of the first book, sorry for that.
Will probably write a longer review of the third book Deep Sky - (Travis Chase, #3) Patrick Lee.
Highly recommended, fast-page-turner.



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Thursday, October 16, 2014

Review: The Breach


The Breach
The Breach by Patrick Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Although the beginning and the way the story is told is way different, the scenario reminds me of Signal to Noise - Eric S. Nylund and the sequel A Signal Shattered, the main character, the Alien named "Wheeler" was one of the most interesting characters I read. "Whisper" seems to pursue similar goals and the idea of the Breach as a way to be given Alien Technology is so far not explained but seems similar to "Signal to noise". Although I just started it yesterday and have been doing other things I am at 37%, still very good, might be a 5star so far and I will certainly read the next book in the series.
A few nice twists, although I guessed some properties of the Breach, others came as a surprise as did the origin of of Whisper.

Highly recommended, and takes a different approach with no solution as to the origin of the Entities coming of the Breach (although it is hinted with Whisper).
Solid 5 star and I just bought the other two books in the Trilogy - Ghost Country - Travis Chase, #2 and Deep Sky - Travis Chase, #3.
Some scenes are very brutal and bloody and the hero of the story Travis Chase is aware of that but kills nonetheless without a lot of remorse even if some is not justified.



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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Review: Kill Plan


Kill Plan
Kill Plan by Eva Hudson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Nice, fast read. Not too much romance.
The case was very straightforward, no real twists or surprises. A should-have-been twist with the last killing was too obvious to surprise.
Ingrid also acts again most times alone, just asking other people to supply information, not very realistic (as in the first book).
For a short read recommended, also the romance goes in a direction I really like, but also I thought this would be the direction even in the first book.
For a break between longer and better books recommended.



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Saturday, October 11, 2014

Review: Broadchurch: A Novel


Broadchurch: A Novel
Broadchurch: A Novel by Erin Kelly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Saw the TV-Series first, so I knew the how-dunnit and it was still a good book, even without the suspense.
As with the UK-TV-Series, binge-watched from Blu-ray in 2 days, the focus is on all the victims this crime has, and not so much on the killer. Still, I did not guess who the killer was in the TV-series.
Compared to the show, the book is less subtle, you get more insight in the actions and more background, to name just one, which was for me muddled and unclear in the show: Lucy. Maybe I was not watching with the same concentration with which I read a book and I missed some details, to name it here, would be to spoil both the book and more so the show, for those who have not read the book nor seen the show.
As a standalone, without the TV-show it is a good book, maybe for some not worth 5 stars, but as an addition to the TV-show it is great.
Highly recommended for fans of UK scenery (Dorset), UK-TV-shows and to anyone who has watched or will watch Broadchurch or the US-remake Gracepoint (although they are supposed to change some of the story, I watched the first 2 episodes and they where nearly identical to Broadchurch, which makes me question the point of a remake, they even put David Tennant in the same character in the US-version).



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Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Review: Silenced


Silenced
Silenced by Allison Brennan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Great story, but not enough twists. Romance was just in the right amount. Very small sex-scene.
Story was straightforward, no real surprises, well, one little. Fast read, very good paced.
Highly recommended, but no 5 star.



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Sunday, October 5, 2014

Review: Exit Strategy


Exit Strategy
Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



And again I had trouble wading through a rather boring book.
No suspense, one little twist, a nice showdown, and then it drags again for a few pages.
I wanted to add the author to my pile of good authors, but this ain't it.
This is about hit-men and -women banding together with their teacher to hunt down a former hit-man turned would-like-to-be serial killer.
They have too much dialogue, boring stakeouts and hunt, with enough false information being hunted down to make the book even longer.
Too long, to boring, no suspense and I did not really like all characters, the decisions they make or do not make are drawn out and they try to "do the right thing" - like not killing innocent bystanders, children etc. - wow, I would not really care for that, if I where a killer, I would relish every dead body, no matter how old it was, 1 or 99 or anywhere in between. Also, a good hit-man would not think so much. And innocent by standers? Talk about an oxymoron. No one is innocent.
Paint dries with more suspense.
So, nothing to save that book, 2 stars it is for a good idea. Not recommended and I will not read the other books in this series anytime soon - if ever.
Might not even read a book by this author anytime.



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