Year: 2014

Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham (Tom Thorne #1)

219x346 (2)

My Rating: 4/5

Availability: Hardback, Paperback, Kindle, Audio, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis:  It’s rare for a young woman to die from a stroke and when three such deaths occur in short order it starts to look like an epidemic. Then a sharp pathologist notices traces of benzodiazepine in one of the victim’s blood samples and just traceable damage to the ligaments in her neck, and their cause of death is changed from ‘natural’ to murder. The police aren’t making much progress in their hunt for the killer until he appears to make a mistake: Alison Willetts is found alive and D.I. Tom Thorne believes the murderer has made a mistake, which ought to allow them to get on his tracks. But it was the others who were his mistakes: he doesn’t want to take life, he just wants to put people into a state where they cannot move, cannot talk, cannot do anything but think. When Thorne, helped by the neurologist looking after Alison, starts to realise what he is up against he knows the case is not going to be solved by normal methods – before he can find out who did it he has to understand why he’s doing it.

My Review: Mmmm, I feel very torn with this review and I will tell you why. Having never read any of the Thorne series of books by Mark Billingham, I decided to make a marathon catch up session and start with his debut novel Sleepyhead (released in 2001). The synopsis sounded pretty amazing and I started the book with anticipation. The reason I say I am torn is because I have really conflicting emotions. The story, writing and plot was flipping amazing and it took me no time to devour the book. On the other hand I am still undecided about how I feel about Tom Thorne.

As this is a debut, I know it takes time but for some reason I just didn’t get to grips with him that much. He is a D.I who takes his job seriously and in this current book it seems we are getting to know Thorne and the demons that he is battling (due to an earlier case). When Alison Willetts is found alive, following three murders, Tom finally feels like this is the break they needed. Sadly, and one of the most interesting elements of this book, is that although Alison lived, she has been left with ‘locked-in syndrome’. Alison knows exactly what is going on and is fully functional, she just can’t communicate. This in itself made a refreshing change to read about as it’s something that is scary and also something I’ve not read about before.

The other thing I loved about this was that I spent literally the whole book questioning everything. Were my suspicions right? Was Throne wrong? Was he losing his marbles? Who else is shady? Yep, pretty much the standard thought process for many I would imagine. That alone is always a bonus as it feels like you are as in the dark as the D.I. I wouldn’t say this book was particularly gruesome, but there is an element of ‘fear’ about it. You know that shiver down your back type of fear you get? Yep, that one! Overall for the first in the series and his debut, it was a corker. The fact that I am 13 years behind everybody else means I have some serious catching up to do, and I have to say I’m rather looking forward to it!

Fourth Day by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #8)

221x346

My Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: The cult calling itself Fourth Day is well-funded and fiercely guards its privacy. Five years ago Thomas Witney went in to try and get evidence that the cult’s charismatic leader, Randall Bane, was responsible for the death of Witney’s son. Witney never came out.

Now, ex-Special Forces soldier turned bodyguard, Charlie Fox, agrees to go undercover into Fourth Day’s California stronghold. This is a fast covert op, no real danger for someone with her mindset and training. But Charlie is not prepared for the lure of Randall Bane, or how easily he will pinpoint her weaknesses…

My Review: Please note, this is the 8th in a series of books featuring Charlie Fox. For those wishing to read the series in order, maybe don’t read this review. It’s incredibly difficult to review this without inevitable plot spoilers due to the length of time the series has been going.

I am having a somewhat marathon session with this series and am now onto the 8th book in the Charlie Fox series with this latest one. When I started reading I was a little bit confused. The ending of the last book left me with so many questions, however I soon realised that the new operation was a good way for Charlie not to think about what happened at the end of the last book! The story was pretty intense early on and we soon see that Charlie and Sean are trying to extract their ‘principal’ from a so called cult. As usual with any Fox and Meyer story, things are never cut and dried, and they end up with a bigger problem once the first part of their operation is done.

What results is an opportunity for Charlie to get up close and personal with Randall Bane, the guy running the cult named Fourth Day. Not much time had passed since I had started reading and I was surprised to realise I was once again over halfway through the book. With lots of opportunity to delve, we see Charlie take major risks (as per usual) only this time we see her vulnerabilities in a huge way. I would go as far as to say that although Charlie Fox is one of my favourite female lead characters, she is also one of the craziest. Maybe that’s why I like her so much? Not only does she take huge chances, she is also ridiculously screwed up. Her personality leads you to think she actually verges on the edge of becoming as lethal and dangerous as the people she is normally chasing.

Fourth Day held my interest from very early on with all the weird goings-on at the so called cult. However, when you add in the fact that this appears to be the closest we get to layering back Charlie’s personality it made for a pretty explosive read. It had everything I wanted and some! What I wasn’t prepared for was the ending. I almost shouted out loud because I just couldn’t believe it. Zoe Sharp has certainly whetted the fans appetite to want to plough straight onto the next one. I think after reading so many ZS books I will take a break at just the right time. I will anticipate the next book even more, waiting to find out the outcome of the latest Sharp/Meyer disaster.

Third Strike by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #7)

226x346

My Review: 5/5

Synopsis: Bodyguard and ex-Special Forces soldier Charlie Fox is slowly recovering from gunshot wounds but is desperate to prove herself to her new boss. Little does she know there’s a personal matter on the horizon that’s going to take up all of her attention – her father is in trouble and needs her help. It seems he has upset the wrong crowd and they’re using increasingly violent methods to systematically destroy the man’s immaculate reputation. It’s up to Charlie to find out why and stop the situation from getting seriously out of hand…

My Review: WOW! My heart really can’t take much more when it comes to Charlie Fox. For those of you that haven’t read a Zoe Sharp book you may want to not continue to read this review as it will inevitably contain spoilers (especially if you are reading the series from the beginning). With that to one side, I am now on to my third Fox book in succession and I’m about to start the next one!

In this book, Charlie is still recovering from her injuries from her last job. Whilst progress is slow, she is now ready to be back in the field. With her and Sean now working in the US, Charlie has no idea that her next assignment will be a lot closer to home. Throughout the series we have seen Charlie struggle with her parents and their relationship has always been difficult. Charlie is ex-Special Forces and she has more battle wounds, both physical and emotional, than most. Charlie’s parents have a very bizarre relationship with Charlie and it was actually wonderful to realise that it was finally time that her father had to accept help from Charlie.

The whole situation is completely out of character for Charlie’s Dad Richard, and Charlie along with Sean are determined to find out the truth about why Richard’s reputation is being sullied. From the very beginning of this book I was absolutely gripped. The story had taken a personal turn of events which drew me in even more. In addition to the precarious situations presented to them, we get to see the more personal relationships flounder. This, like the last book, was read in under a day and to be honest by the time I got to the end, I just sat there gaping for a few minutes.

Not only did this book have everything a Sharp book normally has (action, danger, and loads of shooting), it also had the best ending. Zoe Sharp, you naughty lady, you knew full well that the majority of people who finish this book will HAVE to get the next one…great move. This is by far the BEST in the series so far and I have decided I may as well make this a marathon and go for the fourth book in as many days. I can honestly say that if you haven’t read Zoe Sharp’s Charlie Fox series you are seriously missing out!!! AN absolute AMAZING read which I highly recommend!

Second Shot by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #6)

206x346

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: The latest assignment for ex-Special Forces soldier turned bodyguard Charlie Fox has her protecting Simone and her daughter Ella from the unwanted attentions of an ex-boyfriend. But from the outset Simone refused to comply with Charlie’s security measures, putting both mother and child in grave danger.

After a bloody shoot-out in a frozen forest, Charlie is left fighting for her life. As she battles to recover from her injuries, she’s still fiercely protective of Ella, even though her actions will catapult them both back into the firing line. And this time, Charlie’s in no fit state to protect anyone, least of all herself…

My Review: It’s been a while since I read a book in the Charlie Fox series and then once I get back into them I seem to want to stay there. I started with book 5, and then went straight onto this one. I must say this book for me stood out from the first few pages. Charlie and Sean meet up with their new client Simone and her daughter Ella. It seems that the attention her ex-boyfriend is paying her is verging on dangerous. From the first few chapters we get to see a new side to Charlie. In previous books she hasn’t really had much interaction with children, yet in this one we get to see a different side to her.

As the story progresses we get to around that halfway point and re-join the book from the opening few pages (if you see what I mean). Charlie wakes in a hospital bed recovering from some serious injuries following a shoot out. This was also an element of the story I liked, seeing Charlie not at her best and in particular very vulnerable. As usual Sean Meyer her boss is around to watch her back, and their ongoing relationship is one that keeps my interest too. There are plenty of ‘heart stopping’ moments in this book and I loved the extra layers of mystery surrounding the main crux of the story. This particular book in the Fox series kept me so captivated I finished it in a day.

The ending seemed like a new beginning too for Charlie and as I finished the Epilogue, I found myself checking what book I needed next!!! I think with Charlie and Sean relocated and now living over the water, there are endless possibilities as to where things could go. This is by far my favourite Zoe Sharp book of the series to date and it had everything you want to see in a series that is in my opinion, getting stronger with each book that’s written. I think Zoe Sharp fans will love this addition, I know I did.

Road Kill by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #5)

258x346 (1)

My Rating: 4/5

Availability: Hardback, Paperback, Kindle, Audio

Synopsis: “If you stay involved with Sean Meyer you will end up killing again,” my father said. “And next time, Charlotte, you might not get away with it.”

Still bearing the emotional scars from her traumatic first bodyguarding job in the States, Charlie Fox returns to her former home to try and work out both her personal and professional future.

Instead of the peace for which she’s been hoping, Charlie is immediately caught up in the aftermath of a fatal bike crash involving one of her closest friends. The more she probes, the more she suspects that the accident was far from accidental − and the more she finds herself relying on the support of her troubled boss, Sean Meyer, despite her misgivings over the wisdom of resuming their relationship.

And Charlie’s got enough on her plate trying to work out who suddenly wants her dead. The only way to find out is to infiltrate a group of illegal road racers who appear hell-bent on living fast and dying young.

Taking risks is something that ex-Special Forces soldier Charlie knows all about, but doing it just for kicks seems like asking for trouble. By the time she finds out what’s really at stake, she might be too late to stop them all becoming road kill. 

My Review: Well, it has been far too long since I spent time with Charlie Fox in book 4, and it appears that I even forgot to review it (I know…duh duh duh…shock horror). Anyway, I decided to delve back into Charlie’s world and get back in touch with the all too fierce Charlie and Mr Sean Meyer. For those that haven’t read any of the books in the series, I warn you now DON’T CARRY ON READING! Ultimately there will be spoilers because you have no knowledge of what has gone on beforehand. Also, I might like to point out, if you are one of the few that haven’t read them…why not? You are missing out!

Anyway, the first thing I felt when I opened the book and started was like I was visiting friends that I hadn’t seen for ages. The book starts out ratcheted up to full drama with Charlie’s friend Claire ending up in hospital following a fatal bike accident. With one person dead and her friend being operated on Charlie realises that the ‘accident’ appears to be far more sinister. Of course Charlie decides that she needs to not only help her friend, but get to the bottom of why. Enter Sean Meyer, Charlie’s boss and you have yourself a rather hairy situation that rapidly gets more mysterious.

Before long Charlie is in the thick of a group of illegal road racers and her friends seem to be involved somewhere along the line, she just has to figure out how. The one thing that is glaringly obvious from this book, a lot more than previous ones is Zoe Sharp’s love of bikes. This journey sees Charlie heavily involved in an illegal bike racing gang and by the time I was halfway through, I reckon I could have told you more about riding a motorbike from half this book, than I have known in my entire 30 plus something years on this planet. This certainly wasn’t a negative in my opinion, if anything it just makes you realise how passionate these riders are (as I’m guessing Zoe herself is too).

As with any Sharp/Fox book, Charlie inevitably gets herself into some very dangerous situations, which makes for a pretty tense read. The actual storyline itself maybe wasn’t my favourite in the series so far but was a brilliantly good read as usual. I know that I have over 150 books left in my ‘to read’ pile, but for some reason I think I need to go straight to book 6 in this series (it’s definitely been too long). Zoe Sharp has created a great lead character, and has produced consistently solid reads to date. I’m already looking forward to the next one

Watching Over You by Mel Sherratt

230x346

My Rating: 3/5

Availability: Paperback and Kindle

Synopsis: Following the death of her husband and unborn child, Charley Belington sells the family home and bravely starts life over again. On moving into a new flat, she is befriended by her landlady, Ella, who seems like the perfect friend and confidante.

But, unbeknown to Charley, Ella is fighting her own dark and dirty demons as the fallout from a horrific childhood sends her spiralling down into madness—and unspeakable obsessions.

 As Ella’s mind splinters, her increasingly bizarre attentions make Charley uneasy. But with every step Charley tries to take to distance herself, Ella moves in a tightening lockstep with her, closer and closer and closer…

My Review: I feel pretty torn with my opinion on this book. I have read the first of Mel’s Estate books and really enjoyed it. It’s also clear from reading this latest of her books that she has bundles of talent and is overall a great writer. For some reason though, this book just didn’t sit all that well with me. I liked Charley Belington and the reader gets to see this brave woman try to get over the death of her husband. She is trying to move on and that means moving out of the home she shared with her husband Dan. When she moves into a new flat she meets the Landlady Ella who seems like an ideal friend.

At first Ella seems to be the ideal landlady and is going out of her way to welcome Charley into her new home. What the reader soon discovers is that Ella has her own demons and her horrific upbringing is seemingly now responsible for the adult she is becoming. It was clear from pretty early on that Ella has some serious issues and I thought that Mel Sherratt handled them in a way that made the reader understands a little more the way that their minds work. It certainly brings to the forefront the major issue with mental healthcare that many people still shy away from.

We also see neighbours that are part of the plot line appear and in their own way, they become part of Ella and Charley’s lives without them even being aware of it. The one thing I really did like is the plot thread that brought them all together. I thought this was probably the highlight of the book and cleverly done. For me though, I just felt like certain parts of the book were too repetitive and that it felt a little like overkill on certain issues. The book certainly had great pace and the storyline itself and suspense kept you reading. I just felt like overall, there were some things that were too much in my opinion. I’m certainly not prudish or shy (nothing could be further from the truth), but the sexual elements of the story seemed too much and I wasn’t sure they needed to be as much at the forefront as they were.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, but I felt like it was let down by a few things. No doubt Mel Sherratt will go on and produce even more amazing books such as she has been doing for some time. This is by no means indicating that the lady doesn’t have talent because she does. I just feel like this (in comparison to the Estate books), doesn’t do her the justice she deserves. Will no doubt be a winner with the majority, just didn’t quite do it for me.

Post by Sean Black (Byron Tibor #1)

226x346

I recently interviewed Sean Black and asked him about his new book Post. I finished his new book Post yesterday and was blown away!

MY RATING: 5/5

Available: Online now on Kindle

Synopsis: THE WAR IS COMING HOME

Exhausted by years of combat, and haunted by the ghosts of his past, nothing is going to stop special forces operative Byron Tibor returning home to the woman he loves. But is Byron who he appears to be, and why is American government determined to stop him?

From the blood-soaked mountains of the Hindu Kush to the glittering lights of Manhattan, via the dark underbelly of the Las Vegas Strip, POST is the story of one man’s struggle to retain his humanity – before it’s too late.

Kat;s Review: I am a huge fan of the Ryan Lock series by Sean Black and was looking forward to testing the waters with his new stand alone thriller Post. I have to be honest and say that when I read the synopsis I was a little worried. You see I’m not particularly a fan of the kind of war books that this one seemed to be on the surface; especially not the ones that involved Government type conspiracies. <BIG sigh> how wrong could I have been?

Byron Tibor has spent years in Combat and serving his country. The first few chapters of this book kind of took my breath away. We fall straight into a combat situation where Byron is working as a lone operator. The sheer energy and exhilaration I went through when reading this reminded me of that feeling you get when you watch a really intense film! I was amazed (and I don’t mean that to sound disrespectful), a woman that doesn’t read this type of book and I just HAD to carry on reading.

When I did carry on reading I began to get a little confused. Had Sean Black made a major error in the storyline? Why didn’t it make any sense? Well, I now realise that’s the whole point in the beginning; you need to question it as you go along. This whole book centres on the US Government and their new programme which involves inserting an implant into their best soldiers to create a ‘guilt free and enhanced’ soldier. I know that some people will be shaking their heads at this description. Believe me, I am normally one of them so I totally get that. However, this story is one of those that will get your brain ticking. I’m certainly not somebody who believes in far fetched ideas; however there is a real ‘Big Brother’ syndrome with this book.

Aside from that aspect of the book we get to see Byron Tibor, who is by the way an awesome lead character, fight his way through his battle to get to the truth about himself. I went through varying emotions when reading this, but the overlying emotion was one that meant I didn’t want to stop reading. I was actually pretty sad to get to the end and couldn’t believe how amazing I thought this book was. Yep, many people will think ‘well the author gave her a copy so she would say that’. I need you to understand something though. I review because I love books, I don’t get paid one single penny to do it, and I’m certainly not shy in coming forward (which I’m sure some authors will happily confirm). I can be very critical when needs be, but in this case Sean Black put me firmly in my place.

Finally, I just wanted to touch on the genre of this book. It’s pegged as a thriller and it certainly falls into that category. But some people may say it should fall into Science Fiction. If that’s the case I need to change my standard “I don’t read Science Fiction” line, to “I don’t read Science Fiction, but I do read Sean Black”.

Sean Black has proved that you need nothing and nobody to produce an amazing book, just the talent. For the price of this book (less that £2 on Kindle) you really should give it a try. This was an amazing book that took my breath away and left me with more questions than answers. I sincerely hope that this is the start of what looks to be an amazing series.

The Death Box by J A Kerley (Carson Ryder #10)

My rating: 5/5

 Synopsis: Carson Ryder thought he’d seen everything …

A specialist in twisted crimes, Detective Carson Ryder thought he’d seen the lowest depths of human depravity. But he’s barely started his new job in Miami when called to a horrific scene: a concrete pillar built of human remains, their agony forever frozen in stone.

Finding the secret of the pillar drags him into the sordid world of human trafficking, where one terrified girl holds the key to unravelling a web of pain, prostitution and murder. 

There’s just one problem: Ryder’s not the only one chasing the girl. And the others will kill to keep the secret safe.

My Review:  I’ve been reading about Carson Ryder since around the halfway mark with book 5 (this is book 10 in the series). Carson Ryder books are incredibly readable (if you know what I mean). They may not be books that have a major impact at the time, but there is something about this series which keeps me (and plenty of others) coming back for more.  This book however is by far my favourite and was an absolutely fantastic read. Carson is a pretty cool character and his old partner Harry was also a favourite of mine. However, Carson has moved on and is now in a new town down in the Florida Keys. It almost has a ‘fresh start’ feel to it, which certainly makes the book seem fresh even though this is now the tenth book in the series.

With Harry no longer by his side, I wondered whether anybody else would make an appearance. Sure enough when Carson gets drafted into a new Specialist team he is paired up with the least likely of people. Ziggy Gershwin appears to be a nerdy college type of kid that initially seems fresh out of nappies. Thankfully the pairing worked brilliantly and I found myself hoping this is the start of a new pairing. Carson and Ziggy end up getting drafter into a case that takes them into the very dark world of human trafficking. The bad guys were suitably bad, the storyline twisted enough to keep you turning the pages, and the characters are now so real to me I feel like I need to meet them!!!

Something seems to have shifted with this latest book and it’s all good. If you haven’t read any of the previous books, although not necessary I think it helps give you the background of Carson and his brother Jeremy. I can’t say too much (for fear of spoilers), but for those who have kept up with the series, we only see Jeremy for the briefest time. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that Jack Kerley has special things planned for book 11! I find it hard to believe that many people haven’t heard of J A Kerley, and if you are one of those people, yu may want to take notice. Kerley is a very talented author who has created a fantastic series that keeps you interested. The storylines are all great and there is no ‘padding things out’ just for the sake of word count. I am so pleased that I am up to date with the series and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. A brilliant read that I didn’t want to put down.

Shiver by Karen Robards

316x497

My Rating: 5/5

Released: January 2013 available in paperback and Kindle

Synopis: When she swore off love, he was the last man she imagined would steal her heart.

If driving a tow truck through the seediest part of town with a gun beside her means putting a roof over her son’s head; then single mother Samantha is going to be the best repossession woman on the books. But when she hooks her truck up to a flashy BMW, the last thing she expects is to find a beaten, bloody man in the trunk – or to be catapulted into a terrifying fight to survive.

Daniel knows the drug runners who kidnapped him from protective custody will stop at nothing to see him dead. With his life on the line, his only option is to take his pretty saviour hostage and force her to help him. 

Sam and her four-year-old son are in too deep. With ruthless killers on their trail, she must reluctantly trust this handsome, menacing stranger. And as Sam relinquishes control, she feels an unmistakable desire. But what is the price of falling for a man who operates on the edge of danger – her heart, her life . . . or both?

My Review: I admit it, I had never heard of Karen Robards (shameful I know) and the only thing that caught my eye was the cover. I as once again ploughing through hundreds of books trying to work out how long things had been there and the cover just caught my eye and that was all it took! I read the synopsis and thought I’d give it a go. I can safely say that I’m VERY glad that I bothered to put it to one side.

The book is based around Sam and her four year old son Tyler. Sam is struggling to make ends meet and is subsequently working as a Repo driver. Although that involves driving in the seediest parts of town when her son is in bed, she doesn’t care as it pays for the roof over their head. Her first job of the night should have been a straightforward one. As with any great story, that small detail is the start of a rather bizarre nightmare Sam gets dragged into. What she finds is a man beaten and shot, in the trunk of the flashy BMW.

I guess at this point I was only a few chapters in and I was already hooked. The writing style and type of book this is, reminded me of Karen Rose (who I am a fan of). From that point in the book, Sam goes from being on the outside, to being taken hostage by Daniel in a fight to protect not only him but her and her son. It’s harder than this to detail too much of the storyline as it would become a spoiler, but suffice to say there is more to Daniel than meets the eye.

One thing I need to point out is that this is classed as a ROMANTIC SUSPENSE! FYI there WILL be romance in it! It drives me crazy when I see people complain that books like these aren’t on the right genre blah, blah, Blah! This book is ultimately a suspense/thriller. It does however (much like Karen Rose books) have a rather large portion of romance and steamy scenes going on! (no complaints from me, I love a bit of romance). With the romance aside, this is a very fast paced and action packed thriller that had me reading quickly. I was astonished to find myself at the last chapter on the same day I started it.

Overall I was incredibly happy to have read this and will now find the other 2 books of hers I have and bump them up my ‘to read’ pile. For fans of Karen Rose, if you haven’t read Karen Robards I think you should try her.

Beauty by Louise Bagshawe

226x346 (2)

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Dream Big. No Limits. Be Bold. Manhattan is there for the taking .

Blend it. Sculpt it. Shape it. Use it…

There isn’t a woman on earth who doesn’t have her beauty secrets. But for Dina Kane, beauty is more than just business. It’s power. And it is the secret. She’s dragged herself up from poverty to Park Avenue. She’s rolled with the punches. And she’s learned how to win.

Now someone is out to destroy her, and all she’s built. They’ve underestimated Dina Kane. She’s staying at the top – and she’s happy to wait for the perfect moment to exact her revenge…

My Review: I haven’t read many of Louise Mensch (better known as Louise Bagshawe) books, but the last one I read was pretty good. If I’m honest I didin’t realise for a while that Louise Mensch and Louise Bagshawe were one and the same. When I picked this up I hadn’t bothered reading the synopsis, and just dived right in. It didn’t take long for the story to drag me right down with it and before too long I realised that I had read half the book in one sitting. I started to figure this book was going to be a good read.

The story centres on Dina Kane and trust me the girl does not have an easy start in life. As opposed to a loving and positive home she is born into a world where her father works all the time and her mother resents her. With that in mind the story unfolds and we see Dina struggle in her childhood. The book is set over a few years and as the chapters flew by I couldn’t help loathing Dina’s family. On the other hand I can’t honestly say that I warmed to Dina that much either. She is a tough girl and although I didn’t dislike her, it was hard to warm to a young woman that has to play hardball to get where she wants to be in life.

The story had me gripped as we see Dina grow up and try to conquer the business world. The story is weaved in a way that makes you want to read more and although Dina wasn’t maybe my favourite character, I just couldn’t help but will her on in her quest. The story is certainly worthy of a read and for fans of Bagshawe I don’t think they will be disappointed. I for one, will certainly be continuing to read her work as I thoroughly enjoyed this and literally couldn’t put it down. My only reasoning for the 4 out of 5 rather than the maximum is the fact that I just didn’t like Dina as much as maybe I should have. Other than that this was a fantastic read.