Review of Cross My Heart: Alex Cross #21- James Patterson

Alex Cross will do anything to protect his family.

Thierry Mulch is a psychopathic serial killer who committed murders he got away with and now thinks he is “the perfect criminal”.

Marcus Sunday is a writer who theorizes the philosophical world-view of a perfect killer in his book The Perfect Criminal.

Alex, Bree, and the FBI have been involved in an investigation of a recent spate of murders. Alex writes about the murders in a publication, drawing the wrath of the killer who decides to tear his family apart and make him suffer.

His conviction and his love is about to be put to the test. With a madman fanatical with being the perfect criminal on the stalk, can Alex Cross crack the most important case of his career and protect his family?

I liked the start; we see Alex in a desperate situation and then we go back several days and see the events leading up to that moment. The plot has several stories cleverly interweaved; a psycho is after Alex and his family, a killer that attacks massage parlours is on the loose, someone is kidnapping babies, Alex and Bree’s missing foster daughter Ava; and moves along quickly.

The ending was abrupt and had no resolution, it was a cliff-hanger and you’ll have to read the next book in the series to resolve it. Very annoying when you’ve invested time in a story and it feels a bit moneygrabberish to me. I doubt I’d buy the next if this book was one I’d bought, not sent to review.

Century

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Jan

Review of Waterfall: Teardrop Saga #2 – Lauren Kate

This is the second book in the Teardrop Saga. In this follow on from Teardrop, Eureka’s tears have flooded the earth causing Atlantis to rise, and thus its evil king, Atlas. Before Eureka can end the death and destruction she first has to learn how to fight.

She is torn between two loves, and she is struggling to make sense of the dark world her sorrow has created. There are so many secrets hidden in the dark depths. Is she strong enough to defeat Atlas, or is her broken heart just what needs to power his rising kingdom?

Will she have to give up love to save the world?

I have not read Teardrop and I struggled to get into this book. That being said, once I got started it was an easy enough read. I feel I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first book and had some of the background story in my mind as I read.

Doubleday

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Cindy

Review of Teardrop: Teardrop Saga #2

Review of The King: Black Dagger Brotherhood #12 – JR Ward

After centuries of ignoring his kingship, Wrath has finally accepted the crown and is ruling the vampire society. The threat from the Band of Bastards is still there though, and has glymera support, as they want a ruler who embraces the old traditions of aristocracy. The war with the lessening society rages on and they need new fighters.

Beth wants Wrath’s young and is unprepared for his response, or the distance it puts between them.

Xcor is the leader of the Band of Bastards and one of the leaders in the plot to take down the King. But he’s fallen for the Chosen Layla, who is pregnant with Qhuinn’s young. Layla has unexplainable feelings for Xcor and has to keep her relationship with him secret.

Trez is trying to get away from his future, which is to be the mate and sex slave of the next Queen of the Shadows. Hiding out with the BDB, he falls for the Chosen Selena and his brother iAm will do anything to help him escape his fate.

Assail feels compelled to help Sola, the burglar who was paid to spy on him.

The plot is very involved, with multiple storylines and recurring characters, and it would help if you’d read the previous in the BDB series. The main story was Wrath and Beth and it was refreshing to read their HEA wasn’t all sunshine and roses and see how they dealt with challenges.

I don’t like Assail and he and Sola seem a bit pointless, I’m not sure why their story is being told. I swing between not liking Xcor and feeling sorry for him, I   think Layla’s made a huge mistake though.

I like Trez and Selena and hope they get their HEA, their story is the next book.

I loved when Wrath met his subjects!

Hopefully we’ll see more of Paradise in later books.

And there are Lassiter scenes!

A must read for BDB fans!

Piatkus

Purchased at Book Depository UK

Reviewed by Jan

Lover at Last: BDB 11 review

Review of Shards of Hope: Psy-Changeling #14 – Nalini Singh

ADEN’S STORY!!!

Aden and Zaira wake up in a dark cell, with their psychic abilities gone and, in Zaira’s case, seriously wounded. Breaking free from the prison where their gaolers are both human and psy, they find themselves at the mercy of the elements and far from civilisation. To survive they must make it to the hidden lair of a predatory changeling pack that doesn’t welcome outsiders.

A target has been put on the back of the Arrow squad and the leader, Aden, abducted to give up information, while Zaira was taken to show the world the squad isn’t invincible. Aden will cross any line to keep his people safe for this new future, where even an assassin might have hope of a life beyond blood and death and pain. Zaira has no such hope as she’s too damaged to return from the abyss. Her driving goal is to protect Aden, protect the only person who has ever come back for her no matter what.

This time, even Aden’s passionate determination may not be enough – because the emotionless chill of Silence existed for a reason. For the violent, and the insane, and the irreparably broken . . . like Zaira.
The plot was very complex, full of twists and turns and kept me enthralled till the very end. It set the scene for upcoming challenges in the post-Silence world. I really liked seeing seeing so many of the characters from the previous books and finding out more about them, like Miane and the water changelings, as well as totally new characters, like Remy and the RainFire pack.

It was so cute when Aden is figuring out how to alpha and watching clueless Arrows trying to figure out kids – changeling and psy – is sweet. The Arrows finally have a chance at life and Aden is determined they will become a family.

Can’t wait for #15!

Gollancz

Supplied by Hachette New Zealand

Reviewed by Jan