Hello, hello! Book lovers and Coffee lovers are very welcome!
This is a blog where I am writing about books that I have read and share some thoughts about what I've read or currently reading.
It is hard to define what books I like. I really like good books, with a good story in them, with a twist, with a bit of wit and written well...

***I am open to offers to provide an honest review of a book in exchange for a copy of it (preferably an actual physical book, rather than its e-version, as I enjoy turning pages, looking at the cover and feeling the book).
If you are a writer and would like me to review your book, please contact me via Good Reads or leave a comment here.***

Thank you!

Sunset Blues: The Shadow - Book 1 - Justice is Relative.

By Renée Topper.

 

Rick Cruz, an ex undercover cop, is accused of murdering his uncle who also happens to be the District Attorney. Not the best Monday in Rick's life, huh?

This is a relatively short story, hence it is a quick read.
The story is in the blurb of the book, I don't want to give away what happens, so we will avoid details for now.
So, Rick is an ex cop.
He is quite likeable even though troubled at times.
His personal and professional lives run in parallels, they often collide and at some point Rick finds himself being accused of a murder... To add more trouble to the situation, the victim is his uncle.
Add to the mix a woman and you have a lot more than Rick bargained for.

The book is set at fast pace, although the manner in which it is narrated was not my style. It is quite dynamic, and keeps the story going, yet it seemed to me that it lacked some depth and at times it felt like an adapted shortened version of itself, skipping details and descriptions that would add to the pace more content.

I would much like some more details added to this story, more insightful glimpse. After all, Rick is a cop. And cop's life is never boring!

The Most Dangerous Place on Earth

By Lindsey Lee Johnson.

 

As earlier, I want to mention that all along this book was barely 3 stars for me. Until The Dancer chapter. I thinks last three chapters are the best ones and those alone are worth reading.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

By Gail Honeyman

 

 

A little hint: this book is well worth reading :)))

This book has been a real buzzer since it came out.
I couldn't wait to get to it! And when I got to it, it quite surprised me.
I expected to be completely smitten with the characters, with the story, with the way it's written, the way it turns out to be one rather than the other... But, no, I was not blown away. I was not captivated to a degree, that you just can't put the book down.
First, I found it quite peculiar. Then it became a little annoying in its melancholy and sadness of the same message being stamped page upon page... And then, somewhere near the middle of the book I quite liked it! No, let me re-phrase it: I loved it!

Where They Found Her

By Kimberly McCreight

 

A bit disappointing really as there was so much potential and plenty of opportunities to turn this abrupt and quite boring at times (many times!!) narration into a great psychological thriller with great suspense.
I even liked some of the characters! But that didn't help.

Into The Water

By Paula Hawkins

 



 

 

Yee haw, that was some ride!
A real roller coaster of a book.
It took off fast enough but confusing a bit, as new characters kept popping up.
But the further I read, the clearer it was all getting. Not the mystery part, but the settings, the story and the characters.
I was getting a better picture of that little circle of those who were involved into events, I got to see them from different angles, to learn their secrets, to see what others saw and knew about them.
Yet the more I learned, the less I knew. Does that not make sense? LOL

 

The more I learned, the more possible scenarios were building up in my head as to what could have happened.
It was a great read! I must say, I felt like an investigating officer :))) I was about to put sticky notes on the white board at some stage :)))
I liked the pace of this book. The chapters alternate and present views on the chain of the events from the perspectives of different characters. There's a bit of confusion in the very beginning, but them you get into it and you don't get mixed up. The chapters are not too long to get you forgetting what the previous one was all about :)) yet, they feed you enough to get you guessing new possibilities after each chapter.





Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

By Amy Chua.

 

I'd given this book more, for some parts I'd love to give full 5 stars, but then other things set me back to 3-4 starts, but on the balance, it's 3.5 stars.

"Bill Clinton recently told some Yale students that you can only be really great at something if you love it..."
"But just because you love something, I added to myself, doesn't mean you'll ever be great. Not if you don't work."
This paragraph pretty much sums up the book for me. This is one paragraph that I agree with absolutely and unequivocally!
As to the rest of the 229 pages.... well, mixed feelings, I suppose.