The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg | Book Review #154

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Are there spoilers?

I may have written down too much but that's how much I liked this book.

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Title: The Heist

Author: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Series: Fox and O'Hare #1

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Pages: 295

Published: 2013

Publisher:  Bantam

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Romance, Humor, Thriller

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Date Read: March 17 to March 21, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

From Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying new series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

The Rating:

My Review:

The Heist was so good.

I have never read a Janet Evanovich book before. I mean I watched the movie for One for the Money but that's about it. Still, I had kept my eye out on her books so when I saw The Heist and The Chase - part of the Fox and O'Hare series - I snatched them up and brought them home a long time ago. But Just this month - for March Mystery Madness - I picked it up and started reading it.

I loved reading this book so much. This was a fun read for me. It was light and had a nice flow to it. The story was easy to follow and the supporting characters were original and cool.
There were character introductions, as it tends to happen in heist movies. And I loved it.

A female FBI agent has to team up with the Conman she has been trying to throw in jail in order to catch a bigger fish.

I loved the banter between Nick and Kate. The whole time I was reading I thought that they were a lot like Castle and Beckett, but also a little like Mulder and Scully.

In my head, this was Ocean's Eleven meets Castle. And I kept thinking "why hasn't this been made into a movie yet?".

One of my favorite characters was Kate's dad, Jake O'Hare. He was so cool!!! I totally see Bruce Willis playing him.

The duo Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg did such a good job with this book.
👍

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island
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The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen | Book Review #150

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
The Vanishing Season by Joanna Schaffhausen

Are there spoilers?

Yep, a smidgen of spoilers ahead. 

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Disclaimer:
This book was sent to me by the publishing company(Minotaur Books) in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Vanishing Season

Author: Joanna Schaffhausen

Series: Ellery Hathaway #1
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Pages: 274

Published: 2019

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Adult

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Date Read: March 11 to March 12, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Ellery Hathaway knows a thing or two about serial killers, but not through her police training. She's an officer in sleepy Woodbury, MA, where a bicycle theft still makes the newspapers. No one there knows she was once victim number seventeen in the grisly story of serial killer Francis Michael Coben. The only victim who lived.

When three people disappear from her town in three years, all around her birthday—the day she was kidnapped so long ago—Ellery fears someone knows her secret. Someone very dangerous. Her superiors dismiss her concerns, but Ellery knows the vanishing season is coming and anyone could be next. She contacts the one man she knows will believe her: the FBI agent who saved her from a killer’s closet all those years ago.

Agent Reed Markham made his name and fame on the back of the Coben case, but his fortunes have since turned. His marriage is in shambles, his bosses think he's washed up, and worst of all, he blew a major investigation. When Ellery calls him, he can’t help but wonder: sure, he rescued her, but was she ever truly saved? His greatest triumph is Ellery’s waking nightmare, and now both of them are about to be sucked into the past, back to the case that made them...with a killer who can't let go.

The Rating:

My Review:

The Vanishing Season is just wow.

The Vanishing Season was is such an excellent read. I took it with me to a dentist appointment. And while I waited for it to be my turn I opened this gem and tried to finish it since I had already read a little less than half of it. And I was so embarrassed because it kept me on edge the whole time. I couldn't put it down for a second. I was worried that if I looked up from the book someone would be staring at me wondering what that crazy lady was doing with all her on edge hand movements. Like I kept gripping my knees and murmuring my disdain for a certain cop. I was all over the place. And I hadn't had that kind of experience with a book since I read The Prettiest One and The Body Reader.

It's well written. The writing style flowed so well chapter after chapter. I liked it so much as I wouldn't say no to another book by the author.

Ellery and Reed's interactions with each other were great. They just worked well together. With how they connected the dots and rounded up any evidence that could help them with their case. The evidence leads them to many suspects. That any of them could be the suspect and at the same time, it seemed like it was none of them.

There isn't an ounce of romance. None at all. Though with Ellery and Reed I would not have hated it if there was something more between them.

The mystery and suspense were SO good. Lots of turns and twists and many strategically placed red herrings. There were some pretty creepy scenes that almost got to me with how gruesome they were. But I'm a girl who listens to Last Podcast on the Left. So I wasn't that faced.

Speaking of wish. 

The number of serial killer references did make me think of Last Podcast so many times. Mostly because I knew of them from listening to the podcast.

I feel like Ellery wanted to be a good cop so much. With how she wanted to solve a crime that seemed to be just a disappearance. How frustrated she got when no one saw what she did.
Despite that, it didn't matter that she had been a cop for years because at times she acted and was treated like a rookie.

I would also like to add that this book is the debut of the author. What?!!
So well done.
*round of applause erupts in a dark theater. lights turn on showing a bunch of well dressed beautiful people who keep applauding and smiling brightly*

Goodreads

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Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey | Book Review #127

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey 

Are there spoilers?

No.

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Disclaimer: This book was sent to me from the publishing company through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Not Her Daughter 

Author: Rea Frey

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Pages: 352

Publisher: St. Martins Griffin

Published: 2018

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Suspense, Adult, Drama

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Date Read: July 15 > July 17, 2018

Rating: ★★★★★

Emma Grace Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes. Brown hair. Missing since June.
Emma Townsend is lonely. Living with her cruel mother and clueless father, Emma retreats into her own world of quiet and solitude.
Sarah Walker. Successful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Abandoned by her mother. Kidnapper.
Sarah has never seen a girl so precious as the gray-eyed child in a crowded airport terminal--and when a second-chance encounter with Emma presents itself, Sarah takes her, far away from home. But if it's to rescue a little girl from her damaging mother, is kidnapping wrong?
Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure she wants her daughter back.
Amy's life is a string of disappointments, but her biggest issue is her inability to connect with her daughter. And now she's gone without a trace.
As Sarah and Emma avoid the nationwide hunt, they form an unshakeable bond. But her real mother is at home, waiting for her to return--and the longer the search for Emma continues, Amy is forced to question if she really wants her back.
Emotionally powerful and wire-taut, Not Her Daughter raises the question of what it means to be a mother--and how far someone will go to keep a child safe.

The Rating:

My Review:

I only had to read the description of this novel to know that I was gonna like this read. and I was completely on point.

This story is told from different points f views. The kidnapper and the mother. 
At the same time, it alternates between before, during and after the kidnapping of five-year-old Emma.

I haven't read any books about missing or kidnapped children so for me this was a whole new theme to experience. It was well-written and easy to follow what was going on during the whole novel. It was such a good read. 

I was on the edge on every turn. I wanted to know what would happen to Emma and along the way I found myself rooting for the kidnapper, Sarrah, who was only looking out for what she thought was best for Emma. And in the end, was completely satisfied by it all.


I was totally satisfied by the end of the book. Totally recommend it.

Goodreads    |    Amazon

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Broken Dolls by Sarah Flint | Book Review #117

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Broken Dolls by Sarah Flint

Are there spoilers?

No.

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Disclaimer: This book was sent to me from the publishing company through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Title: Broken Dolls 

Author: Sarah Flint

Series: DC Charlotte Stafford #4

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Pages: ?

Publisher: Aria

Published: August 7, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Adult Fiction

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Date Read: June 28, 2018

Rating: ★★★

The all NEW heart-stopping, un-put-downable serial killer thriller from the bestselling author of Mummy's Favourite. Perfect for the fans of Angela Marsons.

A baby lies abandoned amongst the rubbish; her tiny face as white as alabaster, her body as stiff as a miniature doll. A young prostitute lies beaten, her figure lying like a mannequin on the frozen concrete, her blood spilt, her life ebbing away. 

As DC 'Charlie' Stafford and her boss DI Hunter struggle to identify the victim from the violator their hunt brings them to the crack houses of Lambeth, littered with damaged people, their lives scarred by tragedy and violence, most broken beyond repair. As further lives hang in the balance Charlie must empower the weak to speak out against those who seek to cause harm. 

But can a broken doll ever truly be mended; or will the wounds of the past, fashion the events of the future?

The Rating:

My Review:

While I haven't read the other books in this series I can honestly say that this book was something else. It started strong which is always a good sign for what's ahead. And the ending really made me question what I thought was happening in the story. I thought I understood what was happening but when I read the ending I had to rethink everything. 

So Broken Dolls is an exciting thriller with good twists and turns. That left me in deep thought about what just happened at the end of the book. 

Goodreads 

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There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins | Book Review #86

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
There's Someone Inside Your House  by Stephanie Perkins

Are there spoilers?

Some.
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This is one of the books I read after the passing of Hurricane Maria here in Puerto Rico. With no water, electricity or internet I took to reading my books.

I decided to not do this for the books I've read on 2018. But it has been 4 months since Hurricane Maria. And I'm happy to announce that now we have water, and electricity.

Title - There's Someone Inside Your House
By - Stephanie Perkins 
Publication - September 26th 2017 by Dutton Books for Young Readers      

Copy -  Hardcover, 289 pages

Genre - Young Adult, Romance, Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Love hurts...

Makani Young thought she'd left her dark past behind her in Hawaii, settling in with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska. She's found new friends and has even started to fall for mysterious outsider Ollie Larsson. But her past isn't far behind.

Then, one by one, the students of Osborne Hugh begin to die in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasingly grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and her feelings for Ollie intensify, Makani is forced to confront her own dark secrets.

The Rating:

My Review:

Started this book on January 2, 2018.
I finished reading this book on January 22, 2018.

The Cover:

Although they say never judge a book by it's cover I believe the cover should represent what the book is going to be like or at least some aspect of it.

This cover is everything. I mean just look at it. It's awesome because of the neon punk projection of the title, but creepy with the staircase. 

The Story:

Teen murder mystery. Where a YA contemporary romance mixes with a horror murder mystery.


Overall:
I had been in a mystery thriller ride. Where I was reading all my tnt books that went along with that genre. 
But something that this book had that was different was the horror genre. 

On account of the horror in this I just didn't like it. It wasnt that good. The only scary part was the stranger in the house trope. But that was it. 

With the whole YA side of the story. I also didn't completely like it. The relation ship the main characters had felt too rushed and boring. The teen situations were good though. 

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Lie To Me by J.T. Ellison | Book Review #84

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Lie To Me by J.T. Ellison

Are there spoilers?

I don't think so.
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This is one of the books I read after the passing of Hurricane Maria here in Puerto Rico. With no water, electricity or internet I took to reading my books.
I read this one from Nov ? - Nov ?. 68 days after.

Title - Lie To Me
By - J.T. Ellison 
Publication - October 1st 2015 by Thomas & Mercer
Copy - Paperback, 426 pages

Genre - Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Psychological Thriller

They built a life on lies Sutton and Ethan Montclair’s idyllic life is not as it appears. The couple seems made for each other, but the truth is ugly. Consumed by professional and personal betrayals and financial woes, the two both love and hate each other. As tensions mount, Sutton disappears, leaving behind a note saying not to look for her.

Ethan finds himself the target of vicious gossip as friends, family and the media speculate on what really happened to Sutton Montclair. As the police investigate, the lies the couple have been spinning for years quickly unravel. Is Ethan a killer? Is he being set up? Did Sutton hate him enough to kill the child she never wanted and then herself? The path to the answers is full of twists that will leave the reader breathless.

The Rating:

My Review:

The Cover:

Although they say never judge a book by it's cover I believe the cover should represent what the book is going to be like or at least some aspect of it.

It is such a true to story cover. The title is blurry near the word To and Me. Which gives off an eerie vibe. The characters house is in the corner. A house which is almost like a character itself in this novel. And there is also rain drops which I don't really remember if it signifies anything in the story but it looks cool.


Story:

Sutton goes missing and her husband debates whether to call the police or wait till she showed up again. But when he does every one suspect he's must have killed her. 


Overall:

There are some interesting twists and turns. Great characters. And it was good because I managed to read it in a few days.

I was not expecting most of the stuff that happened which is always good with a book like this. And I'm usually good at figuring out what's gonna happen.

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Book Depository

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The Body Reader by Anne Frasier | Book Review #80

Book Review:
The Body Reader by Anne Frasier

Spoilers?

A smidge.
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This is one of the books I read after the passing of Hurricane Maria here in Puerto Rico. With no water, electricity or internet I took to reading my books.

I read this one on October 23.
33 days after.

Title - The Body Reader
By - Anne Frasier
Publication - June 21st 2016 by Thomas & Mercer

Copy - Paperback, 302 pages

Genre - Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

For three years, Detective Jude Fontaine was kept from the outside world. Held in an underground cell, her only contact was with her sadistic captor, and reading his face was her entire existence. Learning his every line, every movement, and every flicker of thought is what kept her alive.

After her experience with isolation and torture, she is left with a fierce desire for justice—and a heightened ability to interpret the body language of both the living and the dead. Despite colleagues’ doubts about her mental state, she resumes her role at Homicide. Her new partner, Detective Uriah Ashby, doesn’t trust her sanity, and he has a story of his own he’d rather keep hidden. But a killer is on the loose, murdering young women, so the detectives have no choice: they must work together to catch the madman before he strikes again. And no one knows madmen like Jude Fontaine.

The Rating:

My Review:

The Cover:

Although they say never judge a book by it's cover I believe the cover should represent what the book is going to be like or at least some aspect of it.

I actually really love the cover. The photo of who is supposed to be Jude with a photo of who I think is her partner, Uriah inside. I liked it.

The Story:

Detective Jude Fontaine was held captive for years in an underground cell with no hope of leaving. She could only distract herself by learning her captors every move, expression, and words. Until the day she gets out.


Overall:

I loved it. I knew I would love it, too.
It was such a good book with a good unpredictable twist at the end. Which is why I recommend it so much.

I actually tried to start this book back in April.

April 28, 2017 – page 39 

"I started this the other day, mostly because we were stuck on the side of the highway, just got out of school, cause the car broke down. It was just me and mom. She was super worried and scared it would get dark before we got home. While I was in the back reading this book while we waited for help. It was a weird moment and a made a weird decision to read a thriller mystery in that kind of situation. 😕"

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Book Depository

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The Prettiest One by James Hankins | Book Review

Book Review:
The Prettiest One by James Hankins

Spoilers?

Not really.
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This is one of the books I read after the passing of Hurricane Maria here in Puerto Rico. With no water, electricity or internet I took to reading my books.

I read this one from Nov 22 - Nov 25. 62 days after.

Title - The Prettiest One
By - James Hankins  
Publication - October 1st 2015 by Thomas & Mercer
Copy - Paperback, 399 pages

Genre - Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense

When Caitlin Sommers finds herself alone in a deserted parking lot with blood on her clothes and no memory of the past few months, it seems like one of the nightmares that have tormented her for years…but it’s all too real. Desperate to learn the truth about where she’s been and what has happened to her but terrified of what she may find, Caitlin embarks on a search for answers. Her journey takes her from the safe suburban world she knows to a seedy town she’s never heard of, where a terrible truth from her past lies hidden—a truth she can’t quite remember yet can’t completely forget.

The Rating:

My Review:

The Cover:

Although they say never judge a book by it's cover I believe the cover should represent what the book is going to be like or at least some aspect of it.

I didn't get much from the cover itself but it does have a tiny bit of a mysterious look to it. With the two side profiles looing like orange smoke it is a bit creepy and you think that it somehow is involved in the story inside.


Story:

Caitlin has vanished for 7 months and now she's at the door to her house with her husband confused by her sudden appearance and the fact that he's acting like she was never away.


Relationships:

Caitlin x Josh
I thought their relationship was weird from the start. Like there was something Josh was keeping from Caitlin. So I didn't really like him for her despite him being her husband.
Katie x Bix
I did like these two so much more and cheered for them when ever Bix talked about her or to her like he loved her still.



Overall:

This book was a wild ride.
No. Seriously it was so good.

I was expecting one thing before I started reading it and then the first few pages I expected something else. Then that happened three more times. It was like this book had too much to offer but in a good way.
It is one of the more stronger books I've read so far. I don't want to spoil it but I will warn you that it is not just a story about a wife who disappears and loses all memory if the even. It's about so much more.

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Book Depository

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