Seen at Bookish Antics! Every Breath is easily one of the most buzzed about books in the book blogging community. It seemed that everyone was talking aSeen at Bookish Antics! Every Breath is easily one of the most buzzed about books in the book blogging community. It seemed that everyone was talking about Mycroft and Watts, so I just had to see what all the hype was about. Ellie Marney’s debut novel is extremely addicting and entertaining, it’s also a well-plotted mystery and romance. This may not be the most original retelling out there, but it is one that I’d highly recommend.
I’m glad I didn’t read the description for this one before starting this book because it reveals way too much. Do yourself a favor and skip it, you’ll thank me later. All you need to know is that this book takes place in Melbourne, Australia and that the duo is investigating the murder of a homeless man. It’s best for you to just discover everything else alongside the characters and it’ll make the big reveal that much better.
I was initially turned off by this book because of Mycroft who is a bit of an antihero. Mycroft is essentially a juvenile delinquent: he smokes, is constantly in trouble at school, resists authority at any given opportunity and doesn’t understand what rules are. After reading about so many bad boys in YA, I was tired of reading about this archetype, but I soon realized that Mycroft is more than a label. Marney manages to make his character complex and troubled without sacrificing emotion and realism for a split-second. Readers will want to understand this enigmatic character and get a peek into his back story to see why he’s like this.
It’s interesting how Watts was the character I liked more at the beginning of this novel, but by the end I was utterly obsessed with Mycroft. Watts is brave, loyal and compassionate; she lets herself be dragged into Mycroft’s investigation not because she has to do it, but because it’s the right thing to do. I have a feeling that readers will love Watts and she’s certainly an interesting take on the classic Sherlock character.
The mystery in this novel is expertly crafted and Marney really channels her inner Arthur Conan Doyle in the writing of this novel. All of the classic mystery elements that are present in Doyle’s novels (and the countless adaptations) are in Every Breath: the red-herrings, the suspense, the deductive reasoning, etc. I do wish that there was a bit more of a connection to the Sherlock Holmes novels aside from the characters’ names and a few references. Though this novel’s plot revolves around the mystery, it’s not really the focus of this novel and it’s overshadowed by the romance, which is both troubling and a plus in my mind.
This is a romance oriented novel and everything takes the backseat to Mycroft and Watt’s relationship. I loved both the friendship and romantic dynamic the two characters have together, but a part of me wanted the mystery to be more prominent. The romance is excellent and the tension between our couple is electrifying, but I love a good mystery and that’s what one expects from a Sherlock-based retelling.
Every Breath wasn’t quite what I expected from a Sherlock retelling, but it was what I needed to read at that given moment in time. EB is a bit on the lighter side, but that doesn’t lessen how much I enjoyed this novel and how ready I am to read the next two books in this series. Those who love BBC’s Sherlock should definitely check out Every Breath while they wait for the next season to arrive!...more
How do you honor one of the best crime series of the decade? I had my doubts about Lagercrantz, especially once I heard that much of the sto3.5 Stars.
How do you honor one of the best crime series of the decade? I had my doubts about Lagercrantz, especially once I heard that much of the story would involve the US and the NSA, but he's proved me wrong. I think this works because Lagercrantz doesn't try to be Larsson -- he pays respect to him while still making this book his own. It's not a easy task to breathe new life into such beloved characters like Salander and Blomkvist, but I think readers will happy with the results.
Like the previous novels in the series, a series of seemingly unrelated characters and events are tied together intricately. The plot is complex, well-thought out and has the impressive touch of an expert, even if gets a bit over the top at times. All of the business with the NSA intertwines with all of the Swedish conspiracies and politics quite nicely, it also adds another layer of relevancy considering how often the security organization makes headlines.
Yes, readers read these books for the twisty mysteries and enticing Blomkvist, but we're all really just here for Salander. Lisbeth is just as fucking amazing as one would expect, there's a reason why she's the "girl" who's featured in the titles. Salander has always been somewhat of a mystery and Lagercrantz gives readers a peek into her childhood with Zala, illuminating little details that paint a better picture of our favorite heroine. Though it does destroy partially some of that air of mystery she carries around her, it also makes readers want to cheer her on even more.
Mikael Blomkvist is just as stubborn, obsessive and horny as readers remember and reading about him for the first time in ages felt like getting reacquainted with an old friend. It was interesting to see how Blomkvist and Millennium try to adjust to the more digital age and attempt to stay relevant. It's clear that our journalist hasn't lost his touch and still is just as engaging as readers remember.
I was worried that this book would be just glorified fan-fiction, but it's clear that Lagercrantz really cares about Salander, Millennium and Larsson's novels. I'm eagerly awaiting the inevitable sequel and all I really want is just more Lisbeth kicking ass. I don't think that's too much to ask for....more
Scarlett Underground is an awesome diverse book that takes on the classic sleuth mystery and adds in the intrigue of mystical cults and genies. I've yScarlett Underground is an awesome diverse book that takes on the classic sleuth mystery and adds in the intrigue of mystical cults and genies. I've yet to see a book with such an original heroine and it's not too often that you read a book with a Muslim American protagonist (the only other one I've read is the graphic novel Miss Marvel). This is a book that readers will be speeding through and that will leave them eager for another installment. I definitely would like to read another book featuring Scarlett because there just feels like there's so much Latham can tackle next.
Scarlett lives with her sister because her mother died from cancer and her father was mysteriously murdered. When she takes on a case that involves a suicide, things turn out to be much crazier than she expected and soon Scarlett is pursued by an enigmatic cult. This cult is trying to harness an ancient power that will allow them to use jinns to destroy the world.
Lately I've been trying to read more and more diverse books in an attempt to broaden my horizons and my myopic view of the world. What Jennifer Latham does best is show Islamic culture and how Scarlet's family tries to maintain their heritage in America. I learned a bit of Arabic, as well as several things about Islam that I never knew about before. It's interesting how Islam is the world's fastest growing religion and I didn't know much about it at all until I began reading this book. I felt inspired to do a bit of online research because of Latham and ended up reading up on random cultural and religious aspects of Islam.
Scarlett is truly an incredibly kick-ass character who's got guts and I admired her endless determination that kept her going even when the case became dangerous. She has an intense fiery passion within her and won't stop until she emerges victorious. I loved how independent she was and I couldn't help but grin when she ended something along the lines that she's used to saving guys at this point. It's refreshing to read about a heroine who doesn't get saved and ends up rescuing their male counterparts.
Though Scarlett is an extremely developed, complicated character, so many of the other characters felt a bit like husks. I wasn't exactly satisfied with feeling like a bunch of the secondary characters were strangers even when they played significant roles in the plot.
The mystery in Scarlett Undercover is wonderfully plotted with twists that readers won't see coming. I had to keep reading to find out how it would all go down and I was pretty pleased with the progression of the story. I did really want to see more paranormal aspects interspersed throughout the novel because it felt like a tease having the supernatural merely being mentioned. How can you have a novel about jinn without actual jinn?!
Scarlett Undercover wraps up nicely and could definitely work as a stand-alone, but my hopes is that Little Brown publishes a sequel. This can't be the end of our adventures with Scarlett and this book has so much potential as a series. I hope we get at least one more book so we can see Scarlett have a face off against the jinn!
Despite a few problems with character development, Scarlett Undercover is really a great debut with an awesome heroine. This book perfectly displays a Muslim American family in a positive light and will allow so many readers to see themselves in a book for the first time. This may not be the greatest mystery I've ever read, but it's certainly an important book.This review was originally posted on Bookish Antics...more
Check out Bookish Antics for reviews, giveaways and interviews! The Retribution Of Mara Dyer concludes the story of Mara, Noah, Jamie and the rest of tCheck out Bookish Antics for reviews, giveaways and interviews! The Retribution Of Mara Dyer concludes the story of Mara, Noah, Jamie and the rest of the gang. Michelle Hodkin really knows how to write an engaging story and to keep readers captivated with suspense and romance. I really enjoyed this novel, but I really wish we received more answers about Mara’s special abilities. Just as we were getting substantial answers, Hodkin shifted the focus of the story to give us an ending, one that I wasn’t totally satisfied with.
Mara Dyer has been through an ordeal and things are getting tougher than she ever expected. Mara is stuck at a mental hospital where doctors and scientists prod her like she’s an animal. She’s being to doubt her own sanity and is losing herself in the medication she’s being forced to take.
This is definitely the darkest novel in the series and I applaud Hodkin for taking this series into new territory. The sections in the mental hospital are absolutely chilling and I found myself feeling extremely afraid for Mara. Some of the scenes in which Mara grapples with herself are extremely creepy and allowed for some excellent inner reflection. These scenes allowed the readers to see Mara bare and honest with herself, showing her as a brave and compassionate individual.
The romance in this series is always excellent and Retribution is no different, bringing Noah and Mara’s relationship to new heights. Noah and Mara are such a perfect couple and I practically wanted to scream every time Hodkin threw an obstacle in the way of their relationship. I ship this couple oh so much and I was completely invested in their relationship for the entirety of this book. When I met Noah in book one, I didn’t really like him but over the course of this series I slowly became a fan of him and fell for his humor. Romances are usually my least favorite aspects in most books I read, but in this series it’s easily one of the best aspects.
Jamie is easily one of the best characters in this series injecting some of the darker moments of this novel with some humor. He’s hilarious and is easily my favorite secondary character in this series because he always just knows what to say. If I had to pinpoint the best dialogue in this book, my bets are that the majority of the lines would belong to Jamie because his one-liners are the best.
I wanted answers from Retribution and after 2 books I think we deserved to finally get some explanations in this one. I was happy with the few answers that we do get, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy me. The backstory behind their powers was extremely clever and well thought out, but it wasn’t fleshed out completely. I feel that Hodkin never properly ended the back-story on the powers because she wanted to end this story on a happy note. I know many readers want a happily ever after, but I needed something more than vague answers.
The Narration:
I’ve always been a fan of Christy Carlson Romano ever since I was little, devouring Even Stevens and Kim Possible like it was cake. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that Romano narrated this one and I found her narration to be nearly flawless. All of the voices that Romano does were so on point regardless of whether it was a male or female character. Romano’s narration really added life to the characters and she was a perfect fit for this text. I would definitely listen to another audiobook narrated by Romano for sure and it was a delight to hear her read Retribution.
Overall:
The Retribution Of Mara Dyer is an intelligent, well-written conclusion to a fabulous series, even if it doesn’t provide enough answers. Christy Romano is a terrific narrator and I’d definitely recommend the audios for this series....more
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