It seems that my obsession with Mafia romance books isn’t over yet. And when I saw that Katee Robert has a series that strikes these criteria quite weIt seems that my obsession with Mafia romance books isn’t over yet. And when I saw that Katee Robert has a series that strikes these criteria quite well, I knew I had to give them a try. And I wasn’t disappointed to say the least.
In each book of the O’Malley series, we follow one of the O’Malley siblings and how they maneuver life in one of Bostons big three Mafia-families. The first book focusses on Teague and his arranged marriage to Calli, the daughter and only child of one of the two other families in Boston.
I really liked the characters, especially Teague and Calli since most of the book focusses on these two. Calli is strong, determined and knows what she wants. Teague also was a very interesting character. He struggles more with the whole world of crime they live in and everything that comes with that.
There are some spicy scenes but not too much, which I enjoyed reading. The only real concern for me is, that it was over way to soon and the ending felt a little rushed. I would have hoped to get a little more story after the main conflict was solved. Overall, though, I loved it. The writing, the characters and everything that came with it. ...more
Personally, I’m not a fan of boxing. I would never shame anyone for liking this sport and I even admire anyone who partakes in this tough sport, it’s Personally, I’m not a fan of boxing. I would never shame anyone for liking this sport and I even admire anyone who partakes in this tough sport, it’s just not something I like to watch. Or read about, as it’s the case with this book.
So a huge part of the plot, everything related to boxing, the tournament and Snows training, wasn’t something I was super interested in. But I liked how it was used to show his character and determination. But the best about this book was Sasha. She was strong and clever and determined to do anything to help out her father and family. She didn’t sit around waiting for someone to save her, she did what she had to do to survive and protect the ones she loved.
This book was way better than Ivan, writing wise. It showed how much Sophie Lark learned as an author. It had more depth and character development. Still there’s some room for improvement, but it did much more for me than Ivan did. ...more
After finishing the Brutal Birthright series, I wanted to jump right into the follow-up series Kingmakers. What I learned though, was that you should After finishing the Brutal Birthright series, I wanted to jump right into the follow-up series Kingmakers. What I learned though, was that you should have read at least the first four books in the Underworld series. At least if you follow advice from TikTok.
I adore Sophie Larks books; it’s no secret and I enjoyed this book. Sloane was an interesting character; it was fun to watch her weasel her way around Russia as a hitman (or hitwoman in her case). But we only graze the surface when it comes to the characters, we don’t get to really know them, it lacked character development.
Also, the romance was insta-romance. Ivan and Sloane meet, if you can call it that and barely a few days later they are falling in love. Here, too, more substance to the story and everything around it, would have been nice.
Overall, a short and sweet ride, which I still enjoyed. I’m looking forward to the next one. ...more
‘Heavy Crown’ has to be my least favorite book of this series, but it still was exceptional. It was full of action and drama, maybe even more than I w‘Heavy Crown’ has to be my least favorite book of this series, but it still was exceptional. It was full of action and drama, maybe even more than I would have wished for poor Sebastian.
Sebastian Gallo’s life was probably the hardest, he had to overcome the most challenges. He was an aspiring basketball player when the Griffins broke his leg and he couldn’t even get revenge for his crushed dreams. Through this he got colder and harder and it shows in this book. Both, Sebastian and Yelena, were traumatized by their upbringing and probably should have had therapy. And despite everything they both were very naive.
The plot and twist were predictable, but it still shocked me to see it played out. I enjoyed seeing more of Miko in this book, after his own story he was mostly absent from the other books and I’m happy we got to see a little more of him at last.
Overall I think this was a great conclusion to a fantastic series. I had so much fun and I can’t wait to read more about their kids in the Kingmakers series. ...more
Who would have thought that ‘Broken Vow’ and Riona would become one of my favorites of this series? Definitely not me. But the penultimate book in theWho would have thought that ‘Broken Vow’ and Riona would become one of my favorites of this series? Definitely not me. But the penultimate book in the ‘Brutal Birthright’ series took me by surprise.
Not that I didn’t think I would love this book, because all the other ones were amazing so far, but Rionas character was so distant, arrogant, and cold that I didn’t think I would love her as much as the others. Turns out I can identify with her much more than with any other character so far. We share a lot of opinions and after learning that she was an Excel-enthusiast, just like me, I loved her even more. Raylan is also very charming, I enjoyed watching him breaking down Rionas walls brick by brick. I liked his family and how loyal he was to everyone he loved.
The plot was exciting and gripping. I did suspect who would be the villain early on, but still I feared for the characters and especially the beginning when the plot kicks in was thrilling. I also liked reading the plot at the ranch and everything about Raylans background.
We get to see a lot of the other couples and that was a gift. I do hope we get to see more of these characters in the last installment of this series, which I’ll read asap. I just can’t leave this series without seeing if and how Sebastian gets his happy end. ...more
With ‘Savage Lover’ we get a book about Nero, one of the Gallo Brothers we already met briefly in the first book ‘Brutal Prince’. This book has seriouWith ‘Savage Lover’ we get a book about Nero, one of the Gallo Brothers we already met briefly in the first book ‘Brutal Prince’. This book has serious ‘Fast & the Furious’ vibes, which isn’t a problem for me. Because secretly I’m a huge fan of those movies.
A strong point in these books are always the characters and it’s the same in this book. I liked the Nero we saw through Aidas eyes in the first book, but I really fell in love with him in this book. Camille was a new character and like all the women in this series, she is a strong and independent character. She takes care of her father, brother and her mechanic shop and stands up for herself.
It felt like the stakes weren’t as high as they were in the other two books, but still it was very fast paced and there was action non-stop. I liked the heist and especially the racing scenes. Sophie Lark knows how to set a scene and write addicting books.. ...more
After finishing Brutal Prince earlier today and being totally obsessed with the setting, I wanted to get a small glimpse into the second book in the sAfter finishing Brutal Prince earlier today and being totally obsessed with the setting, I wanted to get a small glimpse into the second book in the series. A few hours later I’m sitting here and have finished the whole book. After starting I never put it down again. I think that should say a great deal about this book and the series.
The main characters in this are Nessa and Miko. I didn’t like them as much as I liked Cal and Aida, nonetheless they are both great and I enjoyed watching them falling slowly in love. Nessa is young and inexperienced in the beginning, but she grows a LOT through this book, being confronted with the harsh reality she and her family live in.
Sophie Lark is able to capture the reader's attention and I wasn’t able to put it down. There is less action then in the first book, but there’s still a lot going on. The writing is also very engaging. I’m supposed to read other books now, but how could I leave the rest of the books unread? ...more
I seem to have a new obsession, which is mafia-romance. And this one… wow, it really was amazing.
Aida is strong minded and so funny. She doesn’t careI seem to have a new obsession, which is mafia-romance. And this one… wow, it really was amazing.
Aida is strong minded and so funny. She doesn’t care what about consequences and once she set her mind on doing something, often to help someone she loves, nearly nothing can stop her. And you just have to love Aida and Callum together, their chemistry is great and once they start growing on each other I couldn’t stop falling in love with their story as well. I also enjoyed reading about Aida’s family and how they all stood up for and protected each other.
The plot is super-fast paced and so much is happening. There’s so much happening, and they have to handle so many problems, I couldn’t put the book down. I read it in one sitting and even read the bonus scene, it was a treat. ...more
In this book we follow Liv, she’s had some bad trauma and every time she falls asleep she forgets everything that happened in the last two years.
MegaIn this book we follow Liv, she’s had some bad trauma and every time she falls asleep she forgets everything that happened in the last two years.
Megan Goldins writing style is compelling and fascinating. This book was really unputdownable. From the first second I was hooked into the story and Livs world. I was wondering what happened to her, what she did and why she was losing her memory again and again and again.
I’m normally not a fan of unreliable main characters, but in this case this gave the whole story a very nice turn and I enjoyed reading about Liv very much. Even though I was at times frustrated with her and the decisions she made, I think she was often clever.
I liked the whole concept and the story behind the crimes that happened. Not only were we discovering what happened to Liv two years prior to the plot, but also what happened on that fateful night we start the story.
It was my first book by Megan Goldin and I’ll definitely will readmore by her. ...more
The concept of this book sounded great to me. A group of friends goes on a hike, one of them is a killer and everyone is afraid and wants to find out The concept of this book sounded great to me. A group of friends goes on a hike, one of them is a killer and everyone is afraid and wants to find out who it is and what really happened. So far, so good. The execution, however, wasn't at all to my liking.
I didn't like any of the characters and couldn't conect with them. They were selfish and horrible, all with their own secrets and I wasn't rooting for any one of them. Neither the "good", nor the "bad". And throughout the story it only got worse. They also make very dumd decisions throughout the whole book.
The writing style wasn't that great as well. It took me some time to get used to that, especially with all the inner monologue that a normal person wouldn't ever have. I get that the author was trying to be extra vague to not spoil anything for the reader, but the characters were thinking about their secrets as if trying to keep them a secret from themself. If I have a dark secret I either think about it or don't.
The story isn't really suspenseful, most of the plot the characters are running through a dark forest and trying to find a way out without really being in danger, at least I didn't have the feeling that there was any real danger.
I gave one star for the reveal of the killer though, I didn't see that one coming and was happily surprised by it. It redeemed the book for me a little at last. ...more
Victim 2117 is the eights book in the Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen. If you are reading this review, you probably already know that you eitVictim 2117 is the eights book in the Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen. If you are reading this review, you probably already know that you either enjoy his books or if you don’t. For the writing style hasn’t changed much from his last books, it was still very gripping and suspenseful, but something still felt different.
This book got a more personal touch than the other books, because it doesn’t cover a cold case like the other books, well in some way it does to be honest, but it’s much more on a personal level, because we learn a lot about the background of one of our heroes, Assad.
I personally would advice you to read the other books beforehand and not start with this book, because you need some basic information about the characters which you can only really learn by reading the whole story, their progression and development.
Personally, I felt that book dragged along to much and I wasn’t totally into the story, which made it feel a little tedious, but still it’s a good book and a must read for fans. ...more
In my mind I was picking up a mystery thriller about girls who are kidnapped and some schoolmates who try to discover what really happened. What I gotIn my mind I was picking up a mystery thriller about girls who are kidnapped and some schoolmates who try to discover what really happened. What I got was a suspenseful contemporary book about girls, who try to cope with grieve, fear, and still try to manage their daily life as best as they can.
Chloe, a scholar student, tries to keep her distance from most of her classmates. I found her very condescending to some and actually, I still don’t understand why she would act how she did at some points.
Natalia is one of the popular girls at the school, I don’t know why she is, because she seems to not like anyone and no one seems to really like her. She is speaking her mind but her approach at things feels more like she’s trying to run headfirst through a wall. She says she’s always telling the truth, but she is mean in doing so. Some things don’t need to be said, even though they are true.
The mystery didn’t take much place in the whole story and instead it was more focused on the girls and their life. That, and me disliking both MCs, made me not enjoy this book. I think there’ll be reader who’ll have more fun reading this. ...more
Going into Stephen King, you just know what you can expect, at least to an extent. Billy Summers is mostly a Crime book and not a horror novel. It’s aGoing into Stephen King, you just know what you can expect, at least to an extent. Billy Summers is mostly a Crime book and not a horror novel. It’s about a hit man and his last job, which doesn’t end well.
‘Billy Summers’ is full of action and very fast-paced. There is so much going on and the reader, just like Billy, doesn’t have much time to catch a breath once the action starts. The writing felt very clean and clear.
The big question with every King book, is the ending good? And for ‘Billy Summers’ I really can’t say. Did I like it? Not really. Did I think it fit the story? Yes. So I probably have to go with it’s a good ending for Billys story after all.
The characters were good, I liked Billy, even though he wasn’t a good man. He’s a contract killer after all. But I enjoyed reading about him, how he’s (view spoiler)[fooling everyone into thinking he’s daft (hide spoiler)] and generally how he sees the world for what it is and what should be done.
I enjoyed this book and if you like crime fiction I think you should give it a go. ...more
After surviving the events in the murder house, Ursula, her mother and her friends are traveling again and where the Smart Women travel, murder followAfter surviving the events in the murder house, Ursula, her mother and her friends are traveling again and where the Smart Women travel, murder follows.
The setting in this one is a lonely and uninhabited island where the women and their traveling group gets stranded after their ship to a survival course sinks. Again, they can’t get contact to the outside world and have to deal with their demons and the demons on the island on their own.
The characters aren’t that much more likeable than in the first book, except for maybe Ursula. You can see her trying to grow and overpower her inner struggle. The other women and their bickering get on my nerve early on and stayed that way throughout the book.
The book is a cozy whodunit, where the reader is able to try to unravel the mystery alongside the characters. ...more
Cozy mysteries and whodunits are one of my favorite kinds of books. I really enjoy them on a lazy sunday on the couch, even more when it’s raining. JuCozy mysteries and whodunits are one of my favorite kinds of books. I really enjoy them on a lazy sunday on the couch, even more when it’s raining. Just like today. So the timing was right to pick up this book.
I did need some time to get used to the writing style and the characters but once the mystery and murder began I was immersed in the story.
Ursula, her mum and her friends were very strange characters and I still don’t know if I like them or not. Not one of them was likeable or pleasent to be around and the concept of their book club, not reading the book and drinking, wasn’t really something I would enjoy in a book club, but to each their own.
Like I said, the writing was clumsy and not fluent. It took me some time to get into it, especially in the beginning. After that, I was making good progress and could get into the story a lot easier and faster.
Overall this book was a nice and cozy read, the mystery wasn’t special and the setting, a secluded, snowed in house, but I did enjoy trying to find out who the murderer was and why they did what they did. ...more
What I enjoyed the most in this book were the chapters from the killers pov. They were well written and gave the reader a great insight inside the kilWhat I enjoyed the most in this book were the chapters from the killers pov. They were well written and gave the reader a great insight inside the killer’s head. These parts were obviously a little gorier than the rest, but I don’t have a problem with that and thought that gave the story a little more substance.
Even though I liked Wes and Ali I thought the romance in this book was unnecessary and I didn’t enjoy it. Both were good characters on their own and the story was enough to carry this book, the romance felt out of place and forced.
The ending was very abrupt for me and I thought one or two more chapters would have made a better ending. I can’t go into more details here, I don’t want to spoil anything but if you read it, you’ll know what I mean. I didn’t want to have the case dragged out longer but a little more resolution would have been appreciated. ...more
Going into a book nearly blind can go either way, I tend to do it more often lately and I’m sure I wouldn’t have picked up Jade City if I had known thGoing into a book nearly blind can go either way, I tend to do it more often lately and I’m sure I wouldn’t have picked up Jade City if I had known the main theme was organized crime. It’s just a theme I tend to not enjoy and that bores me, and it wasn’t any different in this book. I’m still very glad I picked it up though, because I still think it’s a great book even if I didn’t like the mafia bits.
What makes this book for me are the characters. It took me some time to get to know their names and titles and to get used to them in general, but the Kaul family is now very dear to me. They all seemed like real people, with flaws and all that comes with it. I was really invested in the whole thing.
The execution and writing of this book were amazing. Everything seemed to be very thought through and made sense. In the end all things worked very well together, there were things brought back that were briefly mentioned in the beginning and I really enjoyed that.
I will definitely continue this series; I loved the writing and I want to know what will happen next to the characters. ...more
I don’t know where to start with this one. This book made me so angry. I thought about dnfing it at times, but the book was too intriguing, so I kept I don’t know where to start with this one. This book made me so angry. I thought about dnfing it at times, but the book was too intriguing, so I kept going.
I hated the MC, Amb. I didn’t understand her obsession with Sully and why she wanted to be like her. Amb wanted to be popular, why she thought being like the biggest bitch in this universe would help her cause, I don’t know. I also still don’t understand why she would attend that reunion or why Adrian was so insistence on going. He was supposed to be that great guy, just tell him that you hated it and don’t want to go? Speaking of Adrian, he was the only one I felt bad for in the end, even though I don’t think he was as great as Amb thought he was. And I felt sorry for Flora.
The story itself was also dragging along for the first half, it’s not really boring but there isn’t happening a lot. We get hints at what happened in the past and how Ambs life is now. After that it picks up a little speed and action, but still, it isn’t very suspenseful and some things are just for plot convenience, that don’t fit great with the story overall.
Still, I think it was a decent read, even though I need a feel-good story now. This book contains so many triggers that if you are sensitive to some things you should definitely check that out before picking up the book....more
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