An exceptional mystery read.
Blurb: “She presumed their first meeting had been coincidental, but then discovered that he had already painted her in intimate detail. They agreed not to reveal anything about their previous lives to each other, not even their names. They became lovers and planned to marry, but then he disappeared and she had no means of discovering what might have happened to him. A decade later she received a postcard that enabled her to start the search but, in doing so, she discovered that she could be the most hunted target of the Cold War. She hoped she could survive long enough to find out why. The unseen and unthinkable escalating nuclear arms threat is the dreadful umbrella overshadowing this story, that riddles beneath the ideological standoff that dominated the middle of the last century, but there are other tensions here too, just as dangerous to the individuals involved. National security vies with personal fidelity, integrity with identity and nature with legality in this psychological thriller; and for the protagonist at the heart of it all is the perennial quandary: who really is the person that she loves?” I enjoyed a lot reading this book. The mystery within the whole story kept me reading and wondering what was behind everything. Mrs. A, the poser, the muse or whatever name the main character had is a strong female character on a mission. First, it seemed to be the mission to find her fiancé that she lost contact with since almost at the end of the world war two. As events evolved and more mysteries appeared, the story seemed much more complicated and her mission has changed slightly. The more I've read the more intrigued I became. Everyone seemed suspicious and it was hard to assume what stood behind the conspiracy. The author managed to get my full attention and everything made sense in a specific way. Leftovers from the war, secret objects inserted in people’s body that may become dangerous for many influencing people from many nations, espionage, fake and real deaths, disguises, talking with people you may not know their names and many other elements created the suspense effect of this book. There was love too, sometimes only as an appearance, a fantasy, an imagination or simply a different kind of love. All in all, this is a book I truly recommend. Type of reader: Fans of exceptionally written novels of mystery, thrillers, suspense with psychological touch and flavors of war, espionage, and politics. Quotes from the book: “Derek had been a distraction, but the artist was her muse. She thought about him every day and most nights. She had even thought about him when she had been with Derek; especially at the most intense times. She had long admitted that the man she adored had become an icon rather than a reality. Like so many of those who had not been seen since the war, he remained as he was when last she saw him, even though she knew that, in reality, he must be quite different. She frequently feared that if she saw him again she might not recognise him. Even worse, she might have already seen him and not known it. How terrible that would have been, especially if he had recognised her.” “Dreams and thoughts became intertwined. In light sleep he was her hero, lifting her from the mundane and moribund life of a department store spinster into an idyllic existence amid shared seclusion. In deeper sleep he was a diabolical deceiver, handing her over to Soviet surgeons who removed her hidden appendage without anaesthetic, and then left her to wither from infection. When she was awake he was close and distant, benevolent and menacing, familiar and strange.” “An oath is the truth; but all truths are temporary. Time sees to that. Time changes everything. It changes you, it changes me, it changes everything that there is. It’s foolish to say I will always be this, because being this is not in one’s control. This belongs to time. When time changes this changes also. My oaths were always true. At the time when they were made.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon
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Poignant and gripping novel.
Blurb: “Between the fast-paced New York City, a rural Mississippi town and a charming Pennsylvania college campus filled with secrets, two young girls learn the consequences of growing up too quickly. Amalia Graeme, abused by her mother for most of her life, longs to escape her desolate hometown and fall in love. Contemplating her loss of innocence and conflicting feelings between her boyfriend and the dangerous attraction she’s developed for an older man, Amalia faces life-altering tragedies. Brianna Porter, a sassy, angst-ridden teenager raised in New York City, yearns to find her life’s true purpose, conquer her fear of abandonment, and interpret an intimidating desire for her best friend, Shanelle. Desperate to find the father whom her mother refuses to reveal, Brianna accidentally finds out a shocking truth about her missing parent. Set in alternating chapters two decades apart, the parallels between their lives and the unavoidable collision that is bound to happen is revealed. FATHER FIGURE is an emotional story filled with mystery, romance, and suspense.” This was a truly engaging read. Structured in alternative chapters, it presented the story of two young women living twenty years apart, one desperately trying to run away and forget her past, the other one eager to find answers about her past and her true sexuality. Twenty years ago, Amalia suffered from the actions and words of an abusive mother. Her father tried to soften the pain, showing more understanding, but unfortunately not brave enough to stand up to his wife. He was the only person that comforted her in her young age. Still, she had to leave Brant and start a new life. Life plays with us often and it played big with Amelia too while she was in college. Instead of starting a new beautiful life, being happily in-love, she experienced a series of events that made her run away. What was supposed to be her way out proved to be another painful period. What did she do? She ran away and decided to keep the past buried. Was this the best decision? Did she manage to finally be happy and live a careless life? Was love again in the cards for her? The future will show. Now, twenty years later, Brianna was about to start college and turning 18 made her wish to find out who her father is stronger. She was at a point in life where she wanted to find answers about herself too, including her true sexuality. She felt the need to find out more about her family. Do we really need to know where we come from to know who we are? Humorous at times, this beautifully written and perfectly paced story deals with many themes (aggressive behaviors, physical and emotional abuse, family issues, sexuality, etc) that are far from being happy, but are definitely a part of the real life. The characters are strong, well-described, and unique. The twists and turns, with a dash of mystery, are often unexpected. A real page-turner and another proof that the author is one of my favorites. Quotes: “She can never know the truth. I'm not even sure I know the whole truth. I promise you with all my heart that I'll keep the past buried in the past for her sake and for yours. If she ever needs to know who her father is, I'll tell her you disappeared—that I never had a chance to find you, but you were a good man. A good man I will love until the day I die.” “Life just happens sometimes. You can't predict it. You don't know where it will drop you off unexpectedly. You only get to pick up the pieces when it's all said and done.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website Chaun Hutchins was like any regular 32-year-old. He had a wife, a full-time job, a comfortable home, and a baby on the way, but yet he was not at all satisfied in their marriage. During a fight on the way from a party, he finally got the courage to speak up to his wife, but the moment after a tragic accident left him a widower. Some would think that this is where his life will go down the road. But no, as the child survived he needs to be strong for the baby. Will he have the power to overcome the pain, the guilt and find the strength to move on? Will he get a second chance at life and love? The questions will be answered only when together with his parents and his new friend, Denise, will manage to solve the mystery of the paranormal events that are threatening their peace and putting some of them in danger. A really interesting read, a story that gives you hope only after the main character manages to find answers over the dark troubles from the past in order to have a bright and peaceful future. Aaron D. Brinker adds a touch of romance to the whole paranormal part, everything with a writing style that it is really pleasant to read.
Type of reader: Fans of mystery, thriller, suspense with a touch of ghosts and paranormal elements. I found this being an intriguing story, definitely, a must read. My favorite quotes from this book: “You had no way of knowing what was going to happen, let alone what minor differences would have caused things to change. No matter what we face in life, trials have to be taken as they come. We can never change the past, but only better ourselves for the future.” “You see, the night you died, you felt what I had been feeling our entire marriage.” My rating: 4/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Everything happens to, around and only because of Poppy. She seems to have it all: beauty, character, good manners, intelligence, love, success...but as there is no such thing as perfection, life was often cruel to her. Even though she never lost her smile and her good heart, she did at moments lost her hope. The hope to have again something that she once lost. Page after page, with a gradually increased intensity, the story of Poppy becomes addictive and you simply can’t put the book off, curious and surprised to see what’s happening next. It is definitely a plot that proves that everything does happen for a reason and the author worked it brilliantly. Wonderfully written, smartly deployed, a novel I surely recommend. This is the author’s debut novel and it simply makes you wanna read the sequel and find what more had happened in The Hamptons.
Reader type: If you like romance, chick lit or a lover of women’s fiction with twists and turns, look no further. The book is so wonderfully written, perfectly crafted and you will not even realize what is going on around you as you are breathing with the story and its characters. A true page-turner. My favorite quotes from this book: “Then, suddenly, Poppy recalled her thoughts from earlier in the day, making her gasp. Hadn’t she’d wished for an urgent drama to appear, enabling her to escape tonight’s dinner? Completely horrified at having harboured such thoughts – which had now become reality – her hand flew to her mouth in an effort to stifle the sob that was currently rising in her throat. Of course, she knew it wasn’t her fault really, but that didn’t stop the small feeling of guilt from blossoming deep in her gut.” “She was quite taken aback; no one had ever been this forthright with her before. Ever. And anyway, what did he mean she intrigued him? Irked, she turned to look at him, her eyes flashing dark with anger.” “His gaze fell to her dark hair, cascading gently around her face and shoulders. She was so beautiful; all he really wanted to do was to envelope her in his arms.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website: http://www.tinamariemiller.co.uk/ I found this being a good, decent thriller. Unfortunately, the ending just didn't do it for me, it fell a little short and that diminished the pleasure I had reading it. The author does a wonderful job converging the destinies of Rachel, Megan, and Anna telling the story through their voices. The main character, Rachel, is a divorced alcoholic who wastes her time daydreaming about the lives of strangers while in denial of what a mess her own life has become. I admit that Rachel’s drinking problem was bothering at moments, even though this was understandable. Because she is often drunk, nothing she says or recalls is trustworthy. Who would have thought that so much can take place only by observing the houses while traveling by train? But, Rachel saw a lot.
Reader type: Thriller/mystery/suspense, not pretentious fans, prepared for a quick and easy read, but certainly above 18 as there are some gruesome violence and heavy drinking. My favorite quote from this book: “I’m playing at real life instead of actually living it.” My rating: 3/5. Find it on Goodreads. |
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Message to you:In order to be a good writer, one has to read a lot. And I do and I love it....and I chose to share my readings with you. Feel free to share with me any of the books you have read or wrote, if I find them interesting I will add them to my list. I'll post my reviews on Goodreads, Amazon and all my social accounts. |